 Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 7:45 am |
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Assaults alleged Man charged in attack with chainsaw
October 21, 2006
By Daphne Larkin Times Argus Staff
BARRE – In a local version of a bad movie, a Warren man was charged Friday with damaging his girlfriend's car with a chain saw Thursday.
Brody R. Burke Jr., 21, was arraigned in Vermont District Court in Barre on a charge of attacking his girlfriend and of later assaulting police officers with the tool. He pleaded not guilty to a total of eight charges, including aggravated domestic assault with a weapon, two counts of assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and driving with a suspended license.
According to an affidavit, the incident began in a car belonging to of Warren sometime before 5 p.m., when Burke got angry and began kicking in the glove compartment of the car while she was driving him to his employer's residence in Fayston.
told police she stopped the car and ordered Burke out of it, after which he left threatening phone messages on her cell phone.
had stopped at the Waitsfield Valero convenience store for gas when Burke, who had arrived in a company van, went after her with a running chain saw, according to the affidavit, reportedly cutting into the passenger side of the car while she was in it.
Raymond Griffith, an onlooker, told police he saw Burke "chasing his girlfriend with a chain saw."
"(Griffith) stated the chain saw was smoking and when it hit the car it was sparking," the affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, Griffith said he shouted at Burke and Burke attacked him.
"'I covered my head. He (Burke) ran at me, tackled me and hit me in the ear,'" Griffith reported to police.
An anonymous call to police reported that Burke was at the Hyde Away Inn and Restaurant in Waitsfield. According to the affidavit, police arrived at the restaurant and saw a group of people surrounding Burke, who was on the ground, attempting to keep him there. Burke was reportedly intoxicated and shouting at the people around him.
While police were arresting Burke, they say, Burke kicked Trooper Daniel Trottier in the chest and Trooper Darryl Cremo in the leg.
After Trottier handcuffed Burke, the suspect attempted a head butt to the trooper's the face, according to Trottier, and that as he was guiding Burke into the back of the cruiser, Burke kicked him in the chest.
Burke was taken to Central Vermont Medical Center for treatment for cuts on his wrists, Trottier reported, possibly from punching glass. At the hospital, Burke continued to act unruly, police say, and at one point he tried to blow mucous from his nose at Vermont State Police Trooper Jared M. Hatch.
Burke was lodged at Dale Correctional facility in Waterbury Thursday night.
Police reported that , Burke's girlfriend, told them that Burke "is an alcoholic and smashes stuff in the house all the time."
Burke has prior convictions. In February he was convicted on a misdemeanor of operating a vehicle carelessly and of leaving the scene of an accident in October 2005. Burke's sentence was deferred and he was put on probation for a year. And in July, he was convicted of unlawful mischief for an incident that occurred in June.
"The facts underlying that (July) case were that he smashed his girlfriend's windshield," said Ellen Kryger, deputy state's attorney.
Burke was held without bail for the violation of probation complaint, which he denied in court Friday.
Burke also pleaded not guilty Friday to a previous driving under the influence charge stemming from an Oct. 8 incident in which he was pulled over for squealing his tires and accelerating around a turn in Montpelier. He was arrested after police discovered there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
Kryger said the court will determine if bail will be imposed for the new charges next week.
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