Bangor man arrested in baseball-bat attack

Bangor police arrested a man for aggravated assault after he allegedly hit another man with a baseball bat early Sunday.

At about quarter past midnight, Officer Shawn Green went to a Warren Street apartment in response to an assault complaint. He said he met with a man who told him Bryan Byther, 21, of Bangor, had hit him on the head with a baseball bat.

Green said the complainant had a 2- to 3-inch gash on the top of his head. Bangor Fire Department EMTs treated him, and he then went to Eastern Maine Medical Center.

At the hospital the man told Green that Byther came over to visit but became belligerent, accusing the man of sleeping with his girlfriend. The man told Green that Byther pulled a knife on him and threatened to hurt him “if he messed with his girlfriend again.”

The man told Green he kept three baseball bats in his living room. He said he picked up a bat and fled to his bedroom, and that Byther chased him with another bat and hit him on the head, running away when he saw blood spattering from the wound.

The complainant said he tried to stop the bleeding with a duffel bag, and passed out for half an hour before calling for help.

Green said he later went to the apartment, and saw blood on the floor and walls.

At about 9 a.m. Byther came to the police station to give his side of the story. He explained that the dispute was not over a woman.

Byther reportedly told Green he had bought marijuana regularly from the complainant until a month ago, when he paid $60 and got nothing. Byther said he went to the man’s apartment to get the drugs or his money back. When the complainant had neither, Byther allegedly said he would kill him if he didn’t pay him back.

Byther said the complainant then took a bat and ran into the bedroom. Byther said he followed, telling the man he would kill him when he got the bat away from him.

Byther claimed the man hit him twice in the ribs, but couldn’t show Green any bruises or swelling. Byther allegedly said he grabbed the bat and “cracked” the complainant, then left.

Green said Byther told him he went to a friend’s house afterward. When Green asked him if it was to lie low, Byther allegedly said, “No, I was actually thinking about getting a crew together and going back to finish him off.”

Green arrested Byther for aggravated assault. Green said that while they were walking to the jail, Byther told him he fully intended to kill the complainant for putting him in jail, as soon as he gets out.

Green said he spoke with the bail commissioner, who set bail at $5,000 cash or $50,000 surety.

Bangor police arrested two men after one of them drove a Jeep into a telephone pole Saturday.

Just after 1 p.m. Officer Jason McAmbley went to an accident scene on Maine Avenue. He spoke with two witnesses who said they saw a blue Jeep SUV drive off the road and hit a telephone pole.

The witnesses told McAmbley they saw the driver reaching for something on the floor just before a turn in the road. They told McAmbley the driver’s face was bleeding.

At 4:15 p.m. Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Bill Birch stopped the Jeep on Ohio Street. Bangor police Officers John Heitman and Christopher Desmond assisted.

The officers saw a 2/3-full bottle of whiskey in the SUV. Desmond said the windshield on the driver’s side was smashed, with hair stuck to it. There was also a dent in the middle of the bumper.

Desmond said Scott Murray, 19, of Old Town, a passenger in the SUV, had dried blood on his face and admitted owning the Jeep, but denied being in an accident.

Heitman said he saw Murray take a drink from the whiskey bottle. Heitman told him he was too young to drink. Murray then threw the bottle out the window in his direction, he said.

Murray was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, possession of alcohol by a minor and failure to sign a summons.

Anthony Ross, 20, of Bangor, was driving the SUV. He was arrested for operating without a license and two outstanding warrants.

– Compiled by NEWS reporter Isaac Kimball