[V]ermont State Police say they were attacked by 51-year-old man outside a Barton bar early Sunday after he threw pool balls at patrons, threatened bouncers with a knife, said he was going to blow up two towns and then crawled on the ground and slashed a car tire.
Benjamin Clarke of East Haven was arrested that morning and now faces nine charges: aggravated assault on law enforcement, disarming a law enforcement officer, impeding a public officer, criminal threatening, aggravated assault, unlawful mischief, aggravated disorderly conduct, unlawful trespass and resisting arrest.
The incident happened around midnight Saturday at the Lake House Saloon on Main Street.
Troopers said Clarke refused to leave the bar when asked by bouncers and instead began throwing pool balls at people inside. One ball hit a 21-year-old Newport man in the face, troopers said.
When bouncers took Clarke outside, he drew a knife and began threatening them and others, troopers said. He repeatedly threatened to blow up the towns of Barton and St. Johnsbury and threatened the government as well, troopers said.
Then Clarke crawled across the parking lot and slashed the car tire of a woman who had been injured inside, troopers said.
State police arrived soon after and began speaking to the man, according to a press release. They believed he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Clarke punched a trooper in the head, tried to disarm him and threatened to kill the other responders, according to state police.
He was arrested and taken to North Country Hospital in Newport for treatment and evaluation, state police said.
He was being held Monday at Northern State Correctional Facility on $75,000 bail, according to state records.