money Dighton residents can finally return to their homes after hours of waiting out blockade
DIGHTON — There is an ongoing police presence in the area of Maple Street in Dighton but residents are being allowed to return to their homes after hours of a blockade that banned them from their own street as police, FBI and media descended on the normally quiet neighborhood.
"Maple Street is now open to RESIDENTIAL TRAFFIC ONLY. Residents will be asked to provide license ID at two checkpoint locations due to ongoing police activity," Dighton Police posted on the town's website at 7:13 p.m.
"Again, there is no threat to the Dighton community at this time."
Twenty-one-year-old North Dighton Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira was taken into custody in at about 1:30 p.m. in connection with leaked military intelligence documents.
News outlets travelled from all over the region down to 1481 Maple St., the home of Bayberry Farm and Flower Co. and also Teixeira's family home, where he was arrested.
Both ends of Maple Street — from the corner of Sesame on one end, to the intersection with Wheeler Street on the other side — were blocked off by police.
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If you were unfortunate enough to be a resident of the blockaded area, you were temporarily homeless as no one was allowed passage down this section of Maple Street.
Along with assorted news crews that pulled over to the sides of the road in their vehicles waiting for something to happen, so too were various residents, confused and frustrated over not being able to go home.
Dighton resident Anastasia Gilmore said she drove around to both ends during the day, waiting since 1 p.m. to get home. She eventually had to leave to pick up her younger sister from school because the school buses couldn’t go down a huge portion of Maple Street.
Don Grundeen moved to Dighton a year ago. He admitted he didn’t know his way around the town too well, having moved here from New York. Like everyone, he was stuck outside the blockade. His home was only a block away from the Sesame St. blockade. He passed the time by talking with news crews, waiting until he can get back to his dog, whom he left at home since 10 a.m.
Two nearby residents brought bottled water for some thirsty and dehydrated photographers and reporters who had been waiting outside in the hotter-than-usual spring day for hours.
By 6 p.m. the blockade had partially let up and law enforcement finally started letting residents on Maple Street drive down to their homes.
This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Dighton streets blockaded during Jack Teixeira arrest
