Judge helps restrain Tupper Lake man
A Tupper Lake judge helped police restrain a suspect after he became combative during his court arraignment Monday evening.
Chance Charland, 21, of Tupper Lake, was arrested at 4:30 p.m. Monday on warrants issued by village Justice Christopher Delair.
Village police Sgt. Wesley Hoyt brought Charland to the village courtroom, above the police station on Park Street, for arraignment before Delair around 5 p.m. As the charges were read to Charland, he became violent and combative, according to village police Chief Eric Proulx.
“He threw everything on the judge’s desk on the floor,” Proulx said. “He was taken and restrained by Sergeant Hoyt, and the judge also had to help. The judge helped hold him down until other officers could be summoned from the police station to come assist.”
Delair, who’s a former police officer, ultimately remanded Charland to the Franklin County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond. Proulx said Charland will likely face additional charges from his alleged courtroom tirade.
He was originally charged with second-degree burglary, second-degree unlawful imprisonment, third-degree criminal mischief and second-degree harassment. The charges stem from a report of a burglary on Leboeuf Street that police heard about Monday. The homeowner said someone had broken into her home. She suspected it was her boyfriend, Charland, because the two reportedly had a fight the night before, Proulx said.
Police investigated and determined Charland got into the house by breaking a back porch window with his hand. He allegedly harassed his girlfriend and prevented her from leaving the house, Proulx said.
Charland suffered a possible broken hand during the burglary, the chief said. While he was detained by police, he complained of “significant pain” to his hand, Proulx said.
Following Charland’s arraignment, a Tupper Lake rescue squad crew, with another village police officer riding along in the ambulance, brought him to Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake.
After Charland was treated at the hospital, Proulx said Franklin County sheriff’s deputies transported him to the county jail in Malone.




