KENNER, La. — Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas is facing multiple misdemeanor charges for allegedly attacking a contractor who he claimed was impeding access to his driveway. According to the Kenner Police Department, the friction began long before Thomas’ arrest Friday.
Chief Keith Conley told WWL-TV that around the middle of the week, someone who lives in Kenner’s Gabriel subdivision reported they had seen Thomas in an argument with someone doing construction work on a nearby home. It was not a 911 call and the neighbor did not file a complaint.
At issue was at least one vehicle being used for the construction project. Chief Conley said Thomas “had problems during the week with vehicles parking in front of his residence.” He could not confirm whether anyone had indeed blocked Thomas’ driveway or if so, for how long.
Friday, officers were called to Thomas’ residence for another report, this time a 911 call of a disturbance. When they arrived, a contractor, Luis Cifuentes, told them Thomas had confronted him over where his vehicle was parked. He said Thomas threw two bricks at his truck. In a release Kenner Police said the bricks caused “little, if any, damage.”
Cifuentes took out his phone and began recording the incident. He told police Thomas then slapped the phone out of his hand and shoved him. Thomas was arrested and booked into the Kenner jail. He faces one misdemeanor charge each of simple battery and criminal mischief. Both carry fines and up to 6 months in prison.
The video taken by Cifuentes is now in the hands of Kenner Police. Chief Conley added there is other video as well. “We’ll sit down with the city attorney and prosecutor and see what can be released and what needs to be preserved for trial,” he said. WWL-TV has submitted a public records request for all video of the incident, as well as the arrest report and Thomas’ booking photo.
A spokesperson for the Saints told WWL-TV that the team is "aware of the incident” and “gathering information.” They did not say whether Thomas will play against the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday, though a source told the Associated Press he is in the lineup.
Thomas himself seemed to respond to the incident with a post on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. He posted a GIF from the movie “Friday,” showing a scene where a character tells others to get off of his grass.
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