Police: Man Pulled a Knife in Argument Over Late Night Laundry

A Brookline man was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon after an argument over late night laundry.

Brookline police responded to a report of a fight at 673 Washington Street on June 22 at about 3:34 a.m..

Officers spoke with the victim, who said that he got home from work late and wanted to do a load of laundry. At this point, the suspect came out of his room and turned off the dryer. The victim said that he restarted the dryer and waited until his roommate came back out. The suspect reappeared and asked why he needed to do laundry at 3 a.m.

The victim told police that he said that this was the only time he had to do laundry. The suspect said that the noise of the dryer was keeping him awake and that he wanted it shut off for the night. The victim told police that the suspect pulled a knife out of a drawer and walked towards him with the knife held at waist level in his left hand.

The victim and the suspect struggled for control of the knife and the victim was able to break off the tip of the knife.

A third roommate came downstairs to see what was going on. She and her boyfriend heard shouting, but did not see the fight.

The suspect told police that the dryer woke him up. He told police that he turned off the dryer and went back to bed, only to hear it start up again. He said that the victim was standing behind the door and asked what he was going to do about it in a threatening manner. He told police that he intended to cut the chord on the dryer and a struggle ensued. He said that he had no intention of harming the victim.

Brookline police arrested Stephan Marts, 31, of 673 Washington Street and charged him with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.