School crossing guard attacks mom and her child with stop sign, Massachusetts cops say
A Massachusetts man is facing multiple assault charges after police said he attacked a mother and her 12-year-old daughter with a stop sign while working as a school crossing guard.
Louis Chaves, 68, of Taunton, was arrested in connection with the attack the morning of June 3 — then was arrested again later that afternoon over additional assaults on members of the media following a court appearance, according to the Taunton Police Department.
The assaults involving the mother and child unfolded after the woman, who had been driving, stopped her car at an intersection outside Taunton High School, according to a police report reviewed by WCVB.
Chaves approached her window, holding a stop sign, and yelled at the woman before the situation soon turned violent, police wrote in the report, according to the outlet.
He shoved the stick of the stop sign into her car, began swinging it, and repeatedly hit the woman while “calling her names” and telling her that “she needs to get out of there,” prosecutors told WCVB.
Her daughter was struck in her arm, the outlet reported.
Chaves is accused of then throwing the mother down on the ground and continuing to hit, as well as kick, her with her 12-year-old daughter there, WBZ-TV reported.
He was arrested on three counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, police said in a June 3 news release.
Information regarding his legal representation wasn’t immediately available.
After appearing in Taunton District Court for an arraignment in connection with the attacks on the mother and her daughter, police said Chaves attacked several members of the media while leaving the courthouse, according to a June 4 news release issued by the department.
The incident involved a few news photographers, WCVB reported.
As a result, Chaves was arrested again on two counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon and one count of assault and battery, police said. He was due in court for another arraignment to answer to these charges on June 4.
Chaves no longer works for Taunton Public Schools, the district confirmed to McClatchy News.
“Taunton Public Schools is aware of a physical altercation the morning of June 3 involving a crossing guard,” the district said in an emailed statement on June 4.
Before leaving court on June 3, Chaves pleaded not guilty in connection with the charges stemming from the assaults on the mother and her child, WBZ-TV reported.
Taunton is about a 35-mile drive southwest from Boston.
This story was originally published June 4, 2024 at 2:44 PM with the headline "School crossing guard attacks mom and her child with stop sign, Massachusetts cops say."
.jpg)