BELFAST, Maine — A 57-year-old New Hampshire man was arrested Sunday evening and charged with assaulting a woman with whom he was barred from having contact. The investigation later determined that he tried to strike her with his car.
Joseph McCusker of Conway, N.H., was arrested and charged with domestic violence assault, reckless violation of a protection order and operating under the influence.
Police received a report from a resident that McCusker had struck a female passenger after he came to a screeching halt while driving a sports utility vehicle on Northport Avenue shortly before 6 p.m., according to an affidavit filed by police in Waldo County District Court.
Belfast police Officer Thomas Ballard located the vehicle in a convenience store parking lot and determined that the driver, McCusker, was intoxicated. The man initially told the officer that he was a prosecutor from Arizona.
The woman, who had been in the car, had gone inside the store. She was interviewed and said she had been abused for the past two days. She also had visible signs on her face of being abused, according to the affidavit.
The officer also reported that he learned McCusker had tried to strike the woman with his vehicle as she walked into the store.
McCusker’s New Hampshire driver’s license also was under suspension for an OUI conviction last year, according to the affidavit.
He was taken to the Waldo County Jail in Belfast and remained there as of Monday afternoon.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and would like to talk with an advocate, call 1-866-834-4357, TRS 1-800-787-3224. This free, confidential service is available 24/7 and is accessible from anywhere in Maine.