HOULTON, Maine — A Littleton man injured a Houlton policeman so badly during an assault that the officer will be out of work for three months, according to the local police chief.
Michael C. Bennett, 20, was arrested on Jan. 18 and received felony charges of assault on an officer and aggravated assault, as well as misdemeanor counts of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer, violating conditions of release and refusing to submit to arrest.
An official at the jail said Tuesday afternoon that Bennett made bail and was released from Aroostook County Jail in Houlton a day or two ago.
Houlton Police Chief Butch Asselin said that the Jan. 18 assault on Officer Theron Bickford took place at the Houlton Police Department.
Bennett was a suspect in a theft and arrived at the police station enraged and with the suspected stolen item, a battery charger, in his possession, according to the chief.
Asselin said that Bickford escorted Bennett to an interview room and tried to calm him down. Bickford intended to summon the 20-year-old and release him, but he allegedly refused to provide information necessary for the citation. Bickford walked down the hall to the dispatch room to confirm Bennett’s personal information with Department of Motor Vehicles data and told Officer Erica Pelletier and Detective Kris Calaman that “there might be problems” with Bennett, according to the chief.
Bickford returned to the interview room, where Bennett continually swore at the officer. When Bickford attempted to arrest him, Asselin said that Pelletier and Calaman became aware of a scuffle. They ran to the room and Pelletier saw Bennett pushing Bickford.
All three officers tried to get Bennett to the floor, but the chief said the suspect continued fighting and had Bickford pinned against the wall. They succeeded in getting Bennett down, but Bickford was against the wall grimacing in pain. The chief said that Bennett was still fighting and Pelletier had to use a Taser on him twice to subdue and handcuff him.
Bickford, who thought his leg was broken, was taken to Houlton Regional Hospital by the Houlton Ambulance Department. His leg was not placed in a cast, but he is on crutches and out of work for twelve weeks, according to the chief.
He has worked as an officer in Maine for approximately 20 years, including for the Norway and Oxford police departments.
Bennett also was taken to the hospital to have the Taser probes removed before he was taken to jail.
12 weeks? No cast? Nice…
Seriously…12 weeks, no cast, crutches? Sorry Bickford got injured but what IS the injury?
Probably a brace for torn or stretched ligaments and tendons around the knee or ankle…NOT fun, very painful.
For a battery charger?
Anger issues coming out his wazzo.
….
He tells his colleagues that there might be a problem, but they didn’t enter the room until after the scuffle had broken out? Wow, that’s just who I’d want watching my back.
Bath Salts?
michael being accused of being convicted of these crimes is childish
especially when he has not yet been convicted. “INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN
GUILTY”.
Exactly Mr. Bennett. You are innocent until proven guilty. But, with respect, I would like to give you a few words to the wise. It might not be the best approach to be telling your tale here. You will have your day in court, and that is where this issue should be resolved. Seriously Mr. Bennett, you are doing nothing here but spinning your wheels, and revealing details about your case that can be used against you in court. I would suggest that you just let people think what they want to, and take care of the situation through your legal representation. That’s what they are paid for. I am sure if you tell your lawyer that you’ve been talking about this case on these boards, he is going to tell you to stop.
Michael Bennett 13 minutes ago
michael being accused of being convicted of these crimes is childish
especially when he has not yet been convicted. “INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN
GUILTY”.
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dave4949 11 hours ago
Bath Salts?
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Guest 16 hours ago
Comment removed.
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reggie_obanion 11 hours ago in reply to Guest
Know something slick, you should be in the hospital, preferably
in intensive care recovering from a good and proper working over by some
real coppers.
And, it is obvious that grammar, spelling and sentence composition are not your strongest talents. Theft on the other hand is.
Must have been a tough few years in third grade.
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Buzlno 12 hours ago in reply to Guest
I grew up in the 60’s just outside Houlton and we were taught
how lack of punctuation led to run on sentences (rants). Capitals help
too…
Your anger makes it seem you have some knowledge of this. How
about calming down and telling us your argument in some unbiased and
legible way? You’d stand to better make your point.
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Michael Bennett 17 hours ago
the one who really stole is related to houlton officer daniel
norton and the other is innocent and he knew he was getting the run
around so he wouldnt sign the summons without a lawyer to talk to first
and he went to the station saturday or sunday the week before the
supposed assault and did a statement and than they talk to ryan norton
of houlton maine aka dj nortons uncle and decide that ryan was related
to dj so they took the charges off him and blamed the other one when the
lady who got stolen from admitted ryan norton had stolen in the past
and the other one never had stolen a darn thing and michael bennett went
and got everything back that ryan stole from her and michael bennett
returned it to be a good citizen and ryan blamed him and the lady still
said ryan stole it and bickford just wouldnt listen to the old lady and
michael bennett he would rather take a 20 year olds false statement than
a 70 + year old ladys statement. ryan has a juvenile to recent record
of crimes that dj has got him off on. the truth will come eventually.
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Dj_Norton 37 minutes ago in reply to Michael Bennett
Hey there Michael Bennett in the third person……. Just to
let you know….. I have never tried to get Ryan out of anything. He
is an adult and he needs to take responsibity for his actions. For many
years my father and I have been there for him and tried to help him
through his life, but have never been his foundation when it came to
something like this. Don’t put blame on things that you are not 100%
sure of. You writing this publicly and blaming me is very childish. I
would appreciate you reframing your comments about me until you get your
facts straight. Thank you
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illegalsout 9 hours ago in reply to Michael Bennett
Well, I blame Bush.
Does that help??
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frostylobomerlin 10 hours ago in reply to Michael Bennett
Sorry about your darned luck. Sounds like you should learn some manners and grammer.
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JonathanKlondowski 12 hours ago in reply to Michael Bennett
The truth has come out… you have no idea what the heck you are taling about and you can’t write at all…
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Michael Bennett 17 hours ago
he wasnt pinned it was in an open area with no walls cameras
will show. just give it time. and this is a false statement!!! and
should be reviewed.. and the guy wasnt read his miranda or zip
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mainetaxpayer 1 hour ago in reply to Michael Bennett
You still cannot beat up a cop after being read your Miranda rights lol.
you have the right to an attorney and if you cannot afford one beat me up.
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JonathanKlondowski 12 hours ago in reply to Michael Bennett
Miranda doesn’t have to be read under most circumstances, stop watching TV shows to get your legal training.
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Mr_Spuddy 1 day ago
Whoops–didn’t mean to post!
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knowitall617 1 day ago
He tells his colleagues that there might be a problem, but they
didn’t enter the room until after the scuffle had broken out? Wow,
that’s just who I’d want watching my back.
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oleyane 1 day ago
It would have been a lot easier to calm down, take the summons and go home.
Maybe he’ll get a few years with all but 18 months suspended and then be out on probation.
At least he’ll have a place to call home for a while with 3 meals a day.
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Buzlno 1 day ago
For a battery charger?
Anger issues coming out his wazzo.
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spasmoweeder 1 day ago
12 weeks? No cast? Nice…
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mrnatural410 1 day ago in reply to spasmoweeder
Seriously…12 weeks, no cast, crutches? Sorry Bickford got injured but what IS the injury?
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Dolly 1 day ago in reply to mrnatural410
Probably a brace for torn or stretched ligaments and tendons around the knee or ankle…NOT fun, very painful.
Flag
Hey slick, can’t handle the criticism?
So ya have to flag every comment critical of your actions?
Truly a wuss.
And you should still be in intensive care after the boys in blue finished the fandango on your noggin.
the boys in blue are the ones who made this false report and i have every right to my oppinion and when all settled there will be a lawsuit on the boys in blue and learn how to spell right cuz if im in 3rd grade your in pre k. okie dokie asta lavista and for your info they werent all boys so do your research unlike bickford and e. pelletier.
wagm tv says his leg is not broke so why do they just have to make things out to sound so bad?