Dear Billy T and Somerville Speakup Line,
I reside in Somerville on Bradley Street. I own a townhouse here. My neighbor next door, who is from India and has not been very polite or courteous to our Family. My husband who passed in 2016 never got along with him, due to his actions back then. He can get very vicious, he tries to be controlling to women in general. He has a very bad temper.
What happened last night, I was taking my trash out and this neighbor knows not to put his trash behind our fence that was just installed. I was getting tickets from the City, stating that the barrels did not have trash bags in there, as well as trash was out too early. I did appeal the tickets and was told to tell the neighbors to put their trash on their property, behind their cars. I did mention that to him and he was putting his trash on his side, except for the incident last night.
I rang his bell. His little boy was looking out the window, I asked for him to get his Dad please. His Dad came out, all distraught, saying to me You dont own the sidewalk, and kept arguing with me. I then proceeded over and picked up one of his bins that was pretty light. Went back over to him and kept stating. You have to move your trash. His wife kept saying for him to move it, but there was no response. He got right into my face and his body touched mine, I dont know how to explain this, but he literally pushed towards me. I put my hands up to defend myself. He then grabbed my hand, twisted it. I got out of this and went into my home, crying for my son to help me. I looked at my hand and the veins were pertruding. A few seconds later, my top of my hand was all bruised. He is probably in his 40s.
The fireman, police and ambulance came to access the problem. They advised me to go to the ER. The police spoke to the neighbor. He stated I had hit him, as well as his wife. They said they had a witness, which the only ones that were out there was his wife. I think his little son was in the window. I am not sure. I did go the ER last night with my son, not the ambulance, as I was hospitalized a yr ago with a heart attack, and complications with bleeding internally. Its been a yr and I am doing well. Thank God I see my cardiologist in a few weeks. After losing my husband, two yrs ago, its been a nightmare here living in Somerville. I grew up here, as well as my husband. He lived in Somerville for over 28yrs, until his passing.
The Somerville Police stated to me that this was called a minor assault. His word against mine I guess. They took pictures of my hand and said if there were any changes they would contact me. I am just very upset that this came to this. This man was very angry all day. I was gardening in the yard before all of this and he was out of control with his oldest son. His wife did tell the police that he was not having a good day.
At the ER, the Dr. told me that my hand had broken blood vessels and they put ice on it, did several exrays. Put an ace bandage on it and said to keep ice on it and keep it elevated, which I did. This am. it is still swollen, but it is moving down into my fingers. The only problem I have is I am retired, but I work part-time at our local Stop and Shop and this is my right hand, but time will tell with the healing process.
My son wants me to go to court this am.but I really do not want the stress put on me again. As I stated above, losing my loved on, health issues I have had in the past. I want to go past that.
I do feel the Somerville Police should have done more in this situation with this neighbor. You can not be neighborly with him.
Thank you for your time
I don’t understand why it was your job to inform your neighbor where his trash should go. That would fall under the City’s responsibility I should think.
The city shriks its duties, leaving people to feel dismissed, at risk, and vunerable. I’ve had several encounters when I’ve called due to threats, and the first words from the responding officer is why they can’t do anything. Yet Mayor Joe talks about ‘quality of life’. Well qualify of life sucks when you can’t depend on the police to do anything. They are not proactive and when things happen, are unresponsive and useless. When they could simply ‘have a word’ to deter conflict, they refuse to do anything to deesculate the situation.
The usual response from the police is to find more reasons why they can’t do anything than help. I understand in this case it may have been one persons word against another. In my neighborhood, there is a family of brothers that have threatened and acted out towards 3 neighbors, all of them women. They also threatened to kill a male neighbor over a parking space. The police know they are bullies and have vandalized property. So in this case there are multiple witnesses and encounters. Police have done nothing. They told one woman to take them to court. Now that women has sold her condo because she coudn’t take it anymore.