KENNER, La. — The two misdemeanor charges against former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas remain open after reports said the charges were dropped, according to the Kenner Police Department.
Kenner Police issued a statement Wednesday afternoon in response to previous media reports saying Thomas' charges were dismissed.
"City officials say the charges against Michael Thomas have not been dropped and have entered a pre-trial diversion phase. Any statements provided that are contrary to this should be considered false, as this case is still open. "
Thomas was arrested and released last November on charges of simple battery and criminal mischief.
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 had 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.
Thomas was arrested without incident, according to police, and said he would be tried in Kenner's Mayor's Court according to a department release.
Officials said Thomas is in the pre-trial diversion phase. He faced fines and up to six months in jail if he was convicted.
The Saints released Thomas last week and he is currently a free agent.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.