BELFAST, Maine — A 51-year-old man will spend 60 days in jail after being convicted of threatening his girlfriend’s son.
The Waldo County Superior Court judge last week dismissed the more serious charge against Andrew Herrick Sr. of Belfast, who was arrested last November after his girlfriend’s son called 911.
The adult son told emergency responders that he hadn’t seen his biological mother in years and went to visit her on Nov. 30, 2014. When he did, Herrick threatened to kill him with a knife, the man told Belfast police Officer Greg Jones, who said the victim was scared and clearly shaken.
The mother got in between the two men, and her son was able to get away from Herrick by running upstairs and hiding in the living room. That’s when the victim called 911, Jones said in a police report filed at court in Belfast.
Officers spoke to the mother, who said that Herrick had gotten in the man’s face and threatened to kill him, and that he did have a knife. She said Herrick had been drinking and got mad, according to the police report.
Herrick was arrested and taken to jail.
Herrick told police “he had drunk five Fireballs [whisky] and three and a half 24-ounce cans of Milwaukee’s Best,” Jones said in the report. “He also told police he was on 16-17 different medications.”
Herrick initially was charged with class C criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, a crime which carries a maximum sentence of five years and a $5,000 fine. Herrick pleaded guilty to the criminal threatening charge, a class D offense which carries a maximum sentence of one year and a $1,000 fine.
Herrick was sentenced to 364 days in jail, with all but 60 days suspended, and one year of probation. His probation conditions include submitting to random searches and tests for alcohol and drugs, substance abuse evaluation and counseling and having no contact with the victim. He also must pay a $20 fine.