HOLDEN – A violent fight Saturday afternoon led to the arrest of a local man for aggravated assault and criminal threatening.

According to police reports, a resident of Cedar Haven Trailer Park called at approximately 2:40 p.m. Saturday to report a loud fight in a neighboring trailer where a window had just been smashed out. En route to the trailer park, Holden police requested assistance from Brewer police. Cpl. Paul Gauvin and Sgt. Rich Smith responded.

When Holden police Officer Christopher Greeley arrived, a woman had just run out of the house crying and screaming, wearing only a towel. Cpl. Gauvin was attempting to subdue Richard Porter, 29, who was resisting arrest. Porter ran back into the trailer. Greeley and Smith followed and ordered him to stop. He then ran into a wooded area, eluding the police temporarily.

Police reports indicate the woman had been severely beaten. She had a broken finger, a large cut under her left eye, and had been lashed across the back with a belt more than 30 times. She was crying and hysterical. She told police numerous guns were in the trailer and believed her assailant would use one to kill her. A search of the trailer turned up seven guns, which police removed.

The woman told police she and Porter had been talking, and in the course of conversation, he called her a liar and grew violent. According to police reports, she told Officer Greeley that Porter had punched her several times in the face, whipped her with his belt and threatened her with a gun. Police reports also stated that the woman told police Porter had threatened to kill her family and everyone she cared about.

Holden Rescue took the woman to St. Joseph Hospital in Bangor for treatment, and she was released about five hours later.

According to police documents, Trooper Seth Edwards of the Maine State Police arrived with his K-9 shortly after Porter ran from Officer Greeley and Sgt. Smith. Trooper Edwards arrested Porter at approximately 5:47 p.m.

Porter was charged with domestic assault, failing to submit to arrest and terrorizing. His bail initially was set at $10,000 cash. At his arraignment Monday morning, Porter’s bail was changed to $1,000 cash with $10,000 surety. As of Monday night Porter had not made bail.