Brewer police charge man with assault

Officer Rodney Gerald reported that at about 10 p.m. he went to Cap’s Tavern on South Main Street in Brewer, where a woman had fled after she allegedly was beaten up by her boyfriend.

The woman said she and her boyfriend, John Thompson, 29, of Brewer, had been in an argument. She said Thompson grabbed her hair, punched her in the face, and dragged her around their apartment by her hair.

The woman said she was able to get up, but Thompson threw her onto the couch and repeatedly hit her head against an armrest. She broke free and ran to Cap’s.

Officer Gerald said the woman was examined by Brewer Rescue and taken to the hospital.

Officers Gerald, Jeff Gotreau and Sgt. Chris Martin went to the apartment and knocked on the door, but nobody answered.

About 10 minutes later, dispatch informed the officers that Maine State Police dispatcher had called, saying the occupant of the apartment was on the phone complaining that people were outside his door bothering him. Sgt. Martin asked that the state police dispatcher tell the occupant to open the door.

Officer Gotreau said that the door opened when Martin next knocked on it, and they called Thompson to come out. The officers ordered him to get on the ground, and arrested him, charging him with domestic assault.

On the way to the cruiser, Thompson sat on the ground, and was charged with failure to submit to arrest, Gerald said.

Gotreau said that some of the officers found a sweat shirt and slippers for Thompson, who was wearing only pajama pants.

Gerald said marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found on Thompson’s table in plain sight, and Thompson was charged with possession.

While Gerald was driving Thompson to Penobscot County Jail, Thompson told him he could tell Gerald was Satan, by his voice.

Thompson later was charged with refusing to sign his summons.

Bangor police arrested a man early Wednesday, and again Wednesday afternoon, after he allegedly hit his girlfriend several times.

Officer Brandon Vafiades reported that at about 2:45 a.m. he went to a Center Street address, where a man, Richard Sacco, 39, of Bangor, told him that his girlfriend had punched him and then told him and his 15-year-old daughter to leave. Vafiades said Sacco’s daughter backed up the story. Sacco’s lip was bleeding.

Vafiades took Sacco and his daughter to the station to keep warm, then returned to the Center Street apartment to speak with Sacco’s girlfriend, who also had called the police. She was crying, and told Vafiades that Sacco had come home from the bar at about 12:45 a.m. and started yelling because someone ate his ice cream cone.

She said that as the argument intensified, Sacco slapped her and pinned her down on a bed. She said she hit Sacco in the mouth to get him off her, but that he then pinned her on the floor and slapped her a few more times.

The woman said her 14-year-old son then came into the room and pulled Saco away. Sacco spat blood in her face, then left the apartment.

Vafiades said the woman’s 10-year-old daughter also saw Sacco holding her mother down. The woman had bruises and scrapes on her hands, and swelling on her lower lip.

Vafiades returned to the station and arrested Sacco for domestic assault.

Sacco was released on bail, with one of the conditions being that he have no contact with his girlfriend. Officer Edward Mercier said that Sacco reportedly called his girlfriend on the telephone at about 1:30 p.m. to arrange to pick up some belongings. Mercier arrested Sacco.

– Compiled by NEWS reporter Isaac Kimball