Towart was arrested Tuesday evening after a domestic dispute during which he allegedly chased his mother’s boyfriend with a shovel.
EASTHAMPTON - A mother vs. son argument over a set of car keys ended with the arrest of an 18-year-old city resident on assault charges.
Lamont J. Towart, 18, of 35 Mt. Tom Ave., was arrested Tuesday evening around 6:30 after a domestic dispute during which he allegedly chased his mother’s boyfriend with a shovel. He was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and domestic assault and battery.
Easthampton police Sgt. Bruce Nicol said Towart began arguing with his mother and her boyfriend, Gregory Paquette, after she refused to give Towart her car keys. As the argument escalated, Towart and Paquette began pushing and threatening each other and Towart’s mother called the police.
During the scuffle, Paquette told police, he briefly pinned Towart to the ground. When Paquette let Towart back up, the teenager fled to his bedroom while threatening to kill his mother.
Nicol said Towart emerged from the home a short time later, grabbed a shovel from the porch, and brandished it "like a baseball bat" as he chased Paquette in the road.
Police arriving at the scene found Paquette restraining Towart and his mother holding the shovel. Paquette later told police that he'd managed to distract Towart by pointing down the street and pretending the police were arriving. When Towart looked away, Paquette tackled him.
Towart was due in court this morning.