Portland police chief: ‘I told you so’ Robbery suspect with criminal history back behind bars after warning

PORTLAND – Portland’s outspoken police chief, who warned that a robbery suspect with a lengthy criminal history was too dangerous to be released from jail on $650 bail, says his concerns were not misplaced.

Lavalle Caldwell was returned to jail after his arrest last weekend for allegedly beating his girlfriend, knocking her out of her wheelchair and holding a knife to her head.

Chief Michael Chitwood said the arrest came as no surprise.

“I hate to say it, Judge,” he said, “but I told you so.”

On Oct. 2, a bail commissioner set Caldwell’s bail at $20,000. The next morning, District Court Judge Roland Beaudoin reduced the amount to $650.

Chitwood immediately warned that Caldwell, who officials said has a criminal history including fraud, criminal trespassing, larceny, aggravated assault and drug possession, was too dangerous to be out on such low bail.

The judge, through his office, declined to comment at the time.

Chitwood said Monday he is relieved that Caldwell is once again behind bars, but that he was disturbed at the situation that brought him there.

Caldwell, 35, was being held at the Cumberland County Jail on charges of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, domestic violence assault and violation of conditions of release.

Chitwood said police responding Saturday night to a report of domestic violence found that Caldwell had beaten his girlfriend in the face repeatedly, causing visual injury.

“She is confined to a wheelchair. He starts yelling at her and starts hitting her and rips the phone out of the wall and then gets a butcher knife and puts it to her neck, telling her he’s going to cut her throat. She starts screaming for police and he walks to another area of the apartment,” the chief said.

Chitwood said Caldwell knocked the woman out of her wheelchair, but that she managed to get back in it. She went to the kitchen, got a knife, put it in her purse and rolled out of the apartment.

“He catches her in the elevator and proceeds to beat her again,” the chief said. “She stabs him in the arm. Blood all over – his blood, her blood. By the time police arrive, they’re able to take him into custody and she tells them what happened.”

The story, Chitwood said, “is a perfect example of why I said this guy should not have been allowed on the street – he is a dangerous, violent career criminal, and this is exactly what I predicted would happen.”