WATERVILLE, Maine — A local man is behind bars Friday after an alleged assault on his ex-wife late Thursday night, according to police.
The series of events leading to the arrest of Paul Rice, 33, started around 7 p.m. when the victim went to Rice’s Hillside Avenue residence to drop off some items for their children, according to Waterville Deputy Chief Charles Rumsey.
While the woman was at the residence, an argument ensued that escalated into Rice allegedly choking, kicking and poking the victim in the face, according to Rumsey.
The alleged poking caused bruising around the woman’s eyes, the deputy chief said. Despite Rice attempting to block the woman from leaving the residence, she managed to escape and return to her residence in Clinton to call police.
Rice was not at the residence when officers arrived to arrest him, but when police contacted the victim to check on where he may be, they learned he had showed up at her residence and kicked a door in while she was on the phone with police, according to Rumsey.
The woman fled out a back door and tried to get into a car to escape, but Rice left after she told him she was on the phone with officers, Rumsey said.
After Rice had returned to his residence, police learned he had left his children, ages 1 and 5, alone at the residence when he had gone to Clinton. Rumsey said the children were not harmed and the Department of Health and Human Services was notified.
Rice was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, a Class B felony, and obstructing the report of injury, Rumsey said.
The children were placed in their mother’s custody and Rice was taken to Kennebec County Jail, where he is being held without bail. He is scheduled to face a judge on April 7.
