Moscow woman charged with attempted murder

BINGHAM – Police have charged a Moscow woman with attempted murder after she allegedly stormed into her former lover’s Whitney Street home at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday, then threatened the woman, fired a shotgun into the kitchen wall and another shot as the victim fled into woods behind the residence.

Debra Pooler, 48, fled the scene and crashed her van in Solon a short time later, according to police. Pooler was taken to the Augusta Mental Health Institute following an evaluation at Redington-Fairview General Hospital in Skowhegan.

Somerset County Deputy Kris McKenna said that Pooler and the victim had been in a relationship for about six months that ended more than a year ago. He said Pooler was not taking the breakup of the romance well.

“She knocked on the door about 4:30 and then entered the home, waking the victim. She played cat and mouse with the victim for a while and then, to show she was serious, shot the kitchen wall,” said McKenna.

The victim reported that Pooler continued to threaten to kill her and that Pooler said once police arrived she would force them to shoot her. “Suicide by cop,” remarked McKenna.

At some point, the victim was able to run from her home into woods in the back yard. A shot was fired as she ran. McKenna said he believed the shot was fired at the victim. The victim then doubled back and called the police from a neighbor’s residence.

While McKenna was interviewing the victim, police received a report that a van matching Pooler’s had crashed in Solon. Pooler was not injured, said McKenna, but was completely incoherent when apprehended, even attempting to bite McKenna several times. She was taken to RFGH for a mental health evaluation and than transferred to AMHI.

“She will be evaluated and if they feel she is a threat to her own or others’ safety, she will be kept there,” said McKenna. “If she is released, she will go directly to Somerset County Jail and be arraigned.”

McKenna was assisted by Lt. Pete Boucher and Deputy Niles Bowman.