KENNER, La. — Saints player Michael Thomas was arrested Friday night in Jefferson Parish after Kenner Police said Thomas threw a brick and shoved a man, according to a department statement Saturday.
Thomas, a wide receiver for the Black and Gold, was charged with two misdemeanors, simple battery and criminal mischief, after an investigation. The NFL player was released from lockup at 10 p.m Friday night.
Thomas was arrested at 7 p.m. in the Gabriel subdivision in North Kenner. The victim, identified as Luis Cifuentes, was a construction worker who told police he been working on a house in the same neighborhood as Thomas, when the NFL player apparently approached him.
"The victim stated that Thomas began yelling at him about parking in front of his house and verbally threatened to harm him," Kenner Police said on Saturday. "The victim began recording the incident which upset Thomas, who then picked up a brick and threw it at the windshield of the truck, causing little if any damage."
Kenner P.D. said that Thomas then walked up to the man knocked a phone from his hands, shoved him and told him he didn't want to be recorded.
WWL-TV spoke with Keith Conley Chief of Kenner P.D. who said that Thomas was parked in his driveaway at the time of the incident.
Kenner P.D told WWL-TV they received a call from one of Thomas' neighbors a few days before the incident. The neighbors told officers they witnessed a confrontation between Thomas and a contractor, but it is unknown if it was the same one from Friday's incident. It was not a 911 call.
Thomas was arrested without incident, according to police, he will be tried in Kenner's Mayor's Court according to a department release.
On Saturday morning apparently in response to the incident, Thomas posted on social media a GIF of a character from the comedy movie Friday telling the movie's main characters to stay off his lawn.
"We are aware of the incident and we are gathering information," a Saints spokesperson told WWL-TV Friday night, before Kenner P.D.'s statement.
The Saints (5-4), which currently sit at top of the NFC South standings, play the Vikings (5-4) in Minnesota on Sunday at noon. Saints management have not released word on whether or not Thomas, who owns the NFL record for most receptions (149) in a season, is expected to play.
Thomas currently has 38 catches this season for 439 yards and one touchdown.