Man pleads not guilty in alleged assault on Transit Police officer

By Sarah N. Mattero, Globe Correspondent

A 57-year-old Waltham man pleaded not guilty today to an assault and battery charge at his arraignment in Boston Municipal Court for allegedly assaulting a Transit Police officer after trying to slip behind the officer through a fare gate, a clerk at the court said.

Michael Cammisaro was arrested Wednesday morning after allegedly striking Transit Police Officer Luis Feliciano in the face and trying to push the officer through the gate. The two men then became involved in a brief scuffle that led to Cammisaro’s arrest.

Cammisaro was released on $250 cash bail and will return to court Nov. 8, his public defender, Frank Fernandez said, noting that he was only handling the arraignment.

Fernandez said the defense had informed the court “there seems to be a history of mental health issues.”

MBTA Transit Police said another man was also arrested for attempting to evade paying a fare at Copley Station Wednesday evening.

As of Nov. 1, Transit Police reported, they had issued 4,135 fare evasion citations so far this year, compared to the 2,554 citations issued in the same period a year ago.