PITTSFIELD -- A city man is being held without bail after police say they caught him with a loaded gun on Saturday, just more than a month after he was charged with slashing a person at a party using a knife.
On Monday in Central Berkshire District Court, Clayton Patrick, 19, of Union Street, pleaded not guilty to four charges, including felony counts of carrying a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm without a license. He was arrested on Saturday afternoon in a parking lot on Tyler Street.
Police allege Patrick has ties to the Bloods gang. On Feb. 5, he was arrested and charged with slashing the thumbs and nicking the face of an 18-year-old from Lee outside a house party in Pittsfield. He has pleaded not guilty to assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in that case.
On Monday, Judge Charles W. Groce III revoked Patrick's bail on the earlier case in light of the new charges, but not before he lectured the defendant on the "gangster" lifestyle.
"This is what happens if you choose this lifestyle," he told Patrick, "nothing but heartbreak. You are at a crossroads. You have to square the person you say you are with the person you present to the world. There are a lot of guys upstate with the same story."
According to a Pittsfield Police probable cause report, Officer James Parise was dispatched to the 300-block of Tyler Street at about 3:40 p.m. on Saturday to investigate a disturbance. When Parise arrived, he ordered Patrick
The 20-year-olds complied, but Patrick began moving away from the officer, telling him: "It was just an argument, we're all set."
Parise allegedly noticed a folding knife attached to Patrick's waistband and grabbed hold of his sweatshirt. The defendant broke free and began reaching toward his front pocket, according to the report.
Parise again grabbed onto Patrick, who ran into traffic on Tyler Street, dragging Parise with him. Cars slammed on their brakes to avoid hitting the pair, who had ended up on the ground.
Two other officers arrived and helped Parise gain control of Patrick. After police gave him several "knee strikes" in the ribs, Patrick stopped resisting and told the officers he had a gun in his pocket.
A .25-caliber semi-automatic handgun with two rounds, one in the chamber and one in the clip, was recovered from Patrick's pocket, said police.
The argument that sparked the event was between Patrick and a 19-year-old woman who was not cooperative with police and would not say what the argument was about.
Patrick's attorney, Jessica Byrne, said there were other facts surrounding the case that the judge hadn't heard. She did not elaborate.
Her client's only conviction, she said, was a continuation without a finding of guilt for marijuana possession. She said Patrick is in the midst of getting his GED and has extensive ties to the community.
Patrick can be held for 60 days without the right to bail. The judge ordered that after that time he pay $5,000 in bail to be released.
To reach Andrew Amelinckx:
aamelinckx@berkshireeagle.com,
or (413) 496-6249.
On Twitter: @BE_TheAmelinckx
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