By Julie Manganis
SALEM — A carpenter working on a new dormitory at Salem State College this fall became so irate at some electricians he believed were horning in on his work, he took a hammer to theirs, police said.
Now, Richard Alger Jr., 47, of Tewksbury is banned from the campus and facing charges of malicious destruction of property and witness intimidation.
Alger pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment yesterday in Salem District Court, where prosecutor Patrick Collins asked a judge to order Alger to stay away from the campus.
The incident happened on Sept. 25, when Alger became "very upset" that workers for another subcontractor, Wayne J. Griffin Electric, had built some shelving for their equipment in their temporary storage unit on the job site, according to a campus police report.
Alger allegedly threatened that if any more carpentry work was done by the electricians, he would "personally tear it down," the electricians told police.
A short time later, the electricians left to unload a trailer. As they returned, they saw Alger walking near the storage area, swinging a hammer.
They then discovered that all of the shelves they had built had been smashed and their equipment was on the floor.
Alger told police he had nothing to do with any vandalism.
A few minutes later, however, a foreman for the electrical contractor approached police and said he had just been threatened by a "screaming" Alger.
Based on that, police sought a criminal complaint, and Alger was sent a summons to appear in court.
Alger is due back in court on Jan. 20.
