JOSH STILTS

Brattleboro Reformer

BRATTLEBORO -- A Londonderry man is behind bars after he allegedly assaulted a police officer, resisted arrest and poured a soft drink on a store clerk’s head and back.

Terrance Slade, 47, is facing up to nearly four years in jail after he was charged with five misdemeanors including disorderly conduct, trespassing, assaulting an officer and resisting arrest.

On Wednesday, through his attorney, Slade pleaded not guilty to the charges and was held on lack of $2,500 bail and ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

According to the affidavit, Slade, who suffers from a mental illness, was served a no trespassing order on July 9 for the Londonderry Plaza after he purchased a soda that morning, opened it and emptied it on the store clerk, laughing as he ran away.

The clerk told police that Slade stood outside, watching her, and that she went to the back room because she didn’t feel safe with him there.

Slade allegedly made at least two additional trips to the plaza after the incident, knowing he wasn’t allowed to be in the vicinity, the affidavit states.

While members of the Vermont State Police were investigating a report that Slade had returned to the plaza a third time, they found him walking toward the parking lot and Trooper Timothy J. Gould instructed Slade to stop.

Slade didn’t stop and Gould walked to cut him off and told him he was under arrest.

During the attempted arrest, Slade continually struggled with Gould and another trooper.

Eventually Slade was able to free a hand and swiped at one of the officers, causing a laceration across his ear.

This isn’t the first time, Slade has had problems with authorities. In 1987, Slade was convicted of felonious sexual assault and sentenced to serve four to 10 years.

A decade later he was convicted of violating an abuse prevention order and failing to register as a sex offender when he moved. Slade’s court proceedings are on hold, pending the results of the psychiatric evaluation.