A homeless shelter patron told to leave minutes later threw a rock through the shelter window, injuring a worker there, police say. Just a day earlier he had broken a glass door at another Burlington social service, they say.
On October 23 at 9:30 AM, Burlington Police Department responded to the Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) daystation located at 95 North Avenue for a report of a male who injured a female and destroyed property.
Officers made contact with Patrick Cristaldi, 34, who admitted to throwing the rock through the window at COTS daystation, police say.
Cristaldi got into a verbal argument with another patron and was asked to leave the building due to his behavior, police say. Cristaldi exited the building, located a large rock, and threw it at one window to the main entrance, only damaging one side of the double pane window. Cristaldi picked up the rock again and threw it through a second double pane window. On this attempt, Cristaldi caused the rock to go through the window, injuring an employee who was sitting at a desk working on a computer.
The victim stated Cristaldi targeted them as he felt the employee was the cause for him to be asked to leave. Burlington Fire Department provided medical care to the victim on scene.
Cristaldi is being charged with one count of Aggravated Assault (felony) and two counts of Unlawful Mischief (felony). Cristaldi currently has active conditions of release from multiple vandalism charges last month, including damage to a private vehicle near City Hall Park and damage to City Hall’s Contois Auditorium.
On October 22, Police Chief Jon Murad had issued a press release on Cristaldi who had been lodged at Northwest Correctional Facility for one count of felony Unlawful Mischief and four counts of misdemeanor Unlawful Mischief for causing damage to Champlain Valley Office of Economics’ (CVOEO) glass door and slashing vehicle tires in the area.
Cristaldi was held in jail pending an October 25 scheduled court appearance.