Man Believes Trash Truck Struck House

The following is an excerpt from the Salem Police log:

Wednesday, Oct. 19

• At 4:57 p.m. police received a report of a car fire on Federal Street. When police arrived there was a car overheating but no fire.
• At 6:41 p.m. police responded to Lafayette Street for a report of a pedestrian accident. The driver told police she was stopped at the intersection of Lafayette and Jefferson when the traffic light turned green. As she begin to proceed, a person walked in front of her car and she struck him. The driver pulled over and the man said he was not injured and had to get to class, as he was late.
• At 7:56 p.m. police responded to a neighbor dispute on Bridge Street. According to one of the tenants, they were carving pumpkins and playing video games when another tenant punched the door and was confrontational about what he described as excessive noise. The man had punched in a portion of the door. The man was charged with malicious destruction of property (see below).
• At 10:02 p.m. police responded to a fight on Gedney Street.

Thursday, Oct. 20

• An out of control youth was reported at 9:13 a.m. at
• At 10:27 a.m. police were dispatched to the entrance of for a car accident. One person was issued a citation and the other summonsed for driving without a license.
• At 9:54 a.m. police received a call that a trash truck had hit a house on North Street. When police arrived, they found minor damage to the house. Police caught up with the trash truck in the neighborhood and found no corresponding damage. The home-owner heard something hit his house and then noticed a trash truck driving away.
• At 1:19 p.m. police responded to a fight outside of Probate Court. Police told the men to seperate.
• At 2:29 p.m. police received a report of kids throwing things off the pedestrian bridge on Highland Avenue. Police did not find the kids.

The following people were arrested:

• Jonathan Hare, 28, 127 Bridge St., Salem, was arrested and charged with malicious destruction of property over $250.
• Noel Arnald Rentas-Vasquez, 30, 38 Park St., Salem, was arrested on two warrants.
• Kevin Joseph Mejia, 19, 83 Bridge St., Salem, was arrested on a warrant.
• Todd Charles Porter, 28, homeless, was arrested and charged with driving uninsured, driving unregistered and driving with a revoked license.

For questions about the blotter, email salem@patch.com