Frankfort teen faces multiple charges ‘Hot rodding’ sparks altercation

STOCKTON SPRINGS – A Frankfort man was arrested Sunday after allegedly punching and threatening a Harris Road resident with a knife.

Marcus A. Quesinberry, 18, of Frankfort was arrested in Belfast about an hour after the incident after fleeing the scene in a maroon sedan. He was booked at Waldo County Jail on charges of assault, terrorizing, criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and operating after suspension.

Quesinberry spent the night in jail and was released Monday afternoon on $2,500 unsecured bail. Conditions of his bail require that he have no contact with his victim or the witnesses, that he abstain from the use of alcohol or drugs, that he possess no weapons or firearms and that he submit to random searches.

Quesinberry was charged after allegedly taking a punch at the resident on the Harris Road about 2:20 p.m. Sunday.

According to arresting officer Deputy Merl Reed of the Waldo County Sheriff’s Department, Quesinberry allegedly had been “hot rodding” up and down the road most of the day. Reed said that when the resident left his yard to confront Quesinberry, the discussion quickly escalated.

The resident “basically told him to knock it off about squealing tires, and Mr. Quesinberry popped him in the mouth,” Reed said Monday. The man “reacted by punching him back, and it was at that time that Mr. Quesinberry said, ‘I’ve got something for you’ and pulled out a knife and slashed it” toward the man’s face, Reed said.

When the resident retreated, Quesinberry continued after him, said Reed. The resident picked up a wooden stake from his yard and stood his ground. It was at that point that an adult male and a teenage boy, who had observed the confrontation from a nearby baseball field, rushed to the resident’s assistance. The boy was carrying a bat. Quesinberry jumped into his car and drove off, Reed said.

“The boy told me he knew [the resident] and brought his bat over to protect him,” said Reed.

At 3:20 p.m. Sunday, Belfast Patrolman Brian Cunningham spotted the maroon vehicle on Route 1 and stopped the vehicle near the Veterans Memorial Bridge. Reed met with Cunningham, and the two men placed Quesinberry under arrest and took him to jail.