Garland man sentenced in police officer assault

DOVER-FOXCROFT – A Garland man who tore a police officer’s earlobe during a scuffle in June pleaded guilty Friday in 13th District Court to several charges, including assault on an officer.

Ansel L. Preble, 42, also pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle after revocation, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, terrorizing, and refusing to submit.

He was sentenced to 366 days at the Department of Corrections.

The assault on Sgt. Joel Cyr of the Dover-Foxcroft Police Department occurred after Preble reported to an East Dover resident that his truck was on fire on the East Dover Road, according to Dover-Foxcroft police Chief Dennis Dyer.

The resident, an off-duty Piscataquis County Jail employee, called the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department to report the vehicle fire and noted that the motorist, who was returning to his vehicle, was intoxicated, he said. Firefighters called to the scene told Cyr they saw a man leave the truck and run into the woods, Dyer said.

Preble allegedly came out of the woods later but ran again when Cyr arrived. A short time later, Preble was seen getting into a white Mercury.

The Mercury was discovered later that night parked in the driveway of a Range Road home. Cyr said after the incident that he questioned the homeowner, who led him to a bathroom where Preble was lying on the floor.

Preble was helped up from the floor and was asked by Cyr to accompany him to his cruiser so he could file a report. When the pair reached the cruiser, Preble refused to sit in the back seat, shouted an obscenity at Cyr and turned away from the officer, according to Cyr.

The officer said that when he put his hand on Preble’s arm, Preble shoved him. A scuffle ensued, and the pair toppled to the ground with Preble on top of Cyr, he said.

Preble allegedly ripped Cyr’s earlobe. Two people from the home where Preble had been staying and off-duty Piscataquis County Deputy Sandi Rollins, who had been riding with Cyr, helped the officer subdue Preble.

Cyr since has resigned from the department and is training law enforcement in Iraq.