A Hingham man pled innocent yesterday in connection with a west campus altercation that sent two Boston University men’s hockey players and one women’s lacrosse player to the hospital last weekend, the district attorney’s office said yesterday afternoon.
Sean Melanson, 23, was arraigned in Brighton District Court yesterday morning after turning himself in to the District 14 police barracks with his attorney, according to the district attorney’s office. He was released on personal recognizance.
The court ordered Melanson to appear in court again Jan. 11.
The attacks, which took place at 4 a.m. on Sunday, followed a prior scuffle between BU hockey players and a group of men outside a Wadsworth Street residence. According to a police report and witness accounts, three to eight men then returned to the scene wielding bats, hammers and wrenches. BU hockey captain Sean Sullivan and defenseman Kevin Schaeffer were hospitalized with head wounds, while junior women’s lacrosse player Lauren Morton was struck in the left jaw and senior hockey goalie John Curry received minor injuries.
Police believe Melanson wielded a hammer during the attack, chasing and threatening one of the victims, who was unhurt when police arrived. The suspect has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, threatening to commit a crime and affray, or public fighting.
Melanson turned himself in to authorities accompanied by his attorney, Kathleen Sullivan, yesterday after a warrant was issued for his arrest Wednesday.
Melanson graduated from Hingham High School in 2002, where he played hockey and lacrosse.
In 2001, he was sued by Hingham High hockey coach Garret Reagan for allegedly causing residual hearing damage by blowing an air horn close to Reagan’s ear, according to a Dec. 19, 2001 <<
In the Ledger article, his father, Richard Melanson, said his four sons played hockey at Hingham High under Reagan, and said “we’ve always had problems.”
Melanson’s family filed a countersuit against the school district and the town. Melanson claimed that the coach had been “rude and mean-spirited toward me and used vulgar and offensive language directed toward me,” the Ledger reported.
There is no record of a resolution to the suits in the Ledger, but Reagan still coaches at Hingham, according to the high school’s website. Melanson’s lawyer could not be reached for comment last night.
A former lacrosse teammate, who requested anonymity, said Melanson’s arrest “didn’t surprise” him.
“He’s stocky, kind of a muscular build,” the former lacrosse player said. “I would say that he’s probably one of those kids that if you saw him, you’d be like, ‘I could probably take you in a fight.’ But he’s probably pretty crazy, he’d probably do crazy things. You’d be overmatched.”
BU spokesman Colin Riley said the university is aware of the arrest.
“We’re pleased that the police have made an arrest and are continuing the investigation into additional suspects,” he said.
The Melanson family denied comment yesterday.
“I have absolutely no comment on anything, and no one in this house does,” said Carol Melanson, Sean’s mother.