Encounter in Home Depot parking lot leads to alleged strangulation attempt

A Waltham man pleaded not guilty to a charge of suffocation or strangulation following an alleged incident in the Home Depot parking lot.

On Sept. 17 at 12:30 p.m., police received two calls reporting an incident in the parking lot of the Home Depot on First Avenue. According to the police report, the first caller said he had been hit by a white car while in the parking lot. The second caller, identified later as Alexander J. Mackenzie, 71, of Quincy, said the first caller had kicked his truck and caused damage.

When officers arrived, they spoke to Mackenzie, who said he didn’t see the first caller behind him when he was backing up. When the first caller became upset that Mackenzie didn’t stop, he began to yell. Mackenzie said he thought he saw a weapon in the caller’s hand, so he grabbed a hammer from his truck and went out to confront the man. Mackenzie said he hadn’t “laid a hand” on the man, but the man kicked the passenger side door of the truck and left a small dent.

The other caller said Mackenzie had almost reversed into him, which caused the man to yell. He began to record as he approached Mackenzie’s side door, at which point Mackenzie allegedly exited the vehicle with a hammer in his hand. The man admitted to kicking the truck, but said he did it because Mackenzie was attempting to run him over. 

After kicking the truck, the man said Mackenzie exited the vehicle again and strangled him for around four seconds using both hands. The man showed the footage he captured to the police, which featured a few seconds when the camera pointed to the ground during which the man alleged Mackenzie was strangling him. The man refused treatment from an ambulance at the scene.

Mackenzie was arrested and charged with one count of strangulation or suffocation. He pleaded not guilty on Sept. 18. It is unclear based on the data in MassCourts whether or not Mackenzie was released on personal recognizance. He will face a pretrial hearing on Nov. 2.

Additional court activity

Jose R. Abrego Lopez, 23, of Waltham, was arraigned in court Sept. 20 for one count of assault and battery, one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault and battery with serious bodily injury. It is unclear how he pleaded based on the data available via MassCourts. Abrego Lopez was released on personal recognizance by Judge Ellen M. Caulo and will face a pretrial hearing for his case on Nov. 5.

Michael Degrandis, 46, homeless, of Waltham, pleaded guilty to two charges and had one charge against him dismissed on Sept. 9. The charges were based on an alleged incident in May at the Hyatt House Hotel in Waltham. Degrandis pleaded guilty to breaking and entering for misdemeanor and trespassing. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, and got credit for 30 days already served. The additional charge of assault and battery was dismissed due to lack of prosecution, meaning that the Commonwealth was not equipped to prosecute the case and decided to dismiss it.

Bianca Lavargna, 33, of Waltham, had charges against her dismissed on Sept. 17. She was charged with larceny from a person, larceny under $250 from a person over 60, larceny of a motor vehicle and larceny of over $1,200 in April after an alleged incident at the ReNew Waltham apartment complex. Lavargna’s case was dismissed due to lack of prosecution.