EHT man ordered held after new arrest while on release in officer assaults

An Egg Harbor Township man whose apparent mental issues have caused multiple arrests was ordered held in jail Friday.

Dennis Lamond, 48, was first arrested Aug. 16, after he refused to leave a home in the 100 block of Asbury Court. 

Responding officers got Lamond to leave, but he returned five minutes later and parked his truck on the property where he had just been banned, according to the affidavit of probable cause previously reported by BreakingAC.

When police tried to arrest him, Lamond resisted, injuring the officers. He then allegedly tried to take drugs while in holding.

He was released after a detention hearing. 

Lamond wound up in trouble again Aug. 26, when police were called to a different home. He again left the property only to return later.

Around 4:30 a.m. the homeowner found Lamond had stripped down and was trying to get into the home, according to the charges.

He was taken to the hospital and later released on a summons. But after reviewing the case and Lamond's pending charges, township police later charged him on a warrant that included third-degree burglary. 

Lamond's attorney successfully argued to have the burglary charge dropped.

"The police report is really clear that he was not in his right frame of mind," defense attorney Mark Roddy said. "I don't think he was trying to break in naked to steal their jewelry."

The report instead said that Lamond claimed to hear noises that drew him to the property.

Lamond suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and is on disability since he was struck by lightning nearly 13 years ago while working at construction on the old Revel, defense attorney Lauren Musarra explained at his detention hearing last week. Co-worker Bryan Bradley died in incident.

Because the only remaining charge was a disorder persons offense of trespassing, Judge Christina Smith noted that she could not hold Lamond in the new case.

But she did grant the state's motion to revoke his release in the previous case, pointing out that "he clearly picked up new charges."

Roddy did agree his client likely needs a mental health evaluation.

He pointed to "some mental degeneration that might be going on," and issues in his personal life that include a divorce and living alone after his mother could no longer handle him.