By Josh Resnek
It wasn’t just another night of watching highly competitive Celtics pro basketball at Boston Garden last Wednesday for Everett resident Justin Arnold.
With the Celtics and the Spurs embroiled in a hotly contested game – which the Spurs ultimately won – Arnold, 22, threw a 20-ounce can of hard seltzer from his seat high above the floor.
The can exploded after crashing to the floor in front of the Spurs bench, causing great concern, and requiring the game to be stopped for maintenance people to clean up the mess.
Arnold was subsequently arrested, escorted out of the arena, and transported to a local lock-up.
As a result, Boston Garden officials wasted no time banning the Everett resident for life from attending events there.
“This act is a serious violation of our guest code of conduct and as a result, the guest will be banned from all future events at TD Garden for life,” TD Garden spokesperson Tricia McCorkle said in a statement issued last Thursday.
Arnold regrets what he did.
He issued a statement apologizing to the Celtics and taking full responsibility for his actions.
“I’m sorry to the Boston Celtics organization and TD Garden for what I did,” he said, as announced to the public on WEEI. “It was unacceptable and I take full responsibility. I’ll never stop loving Boston.”
Arnold was arrested for disturbing a public assembly by Boston Police. The charge against him is a criminal offense.
He was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court last Thursday and released.
Arnold is expected back in court on March 12.