DEXTER, Maine — A Dexter man surrendered to police after allegedly threatening his wife with a rifle as she hid in cold and rainy woods with their 14-year-old son near the family’s Maple Avenue home Sunday, police said.
George Phillips, 39, was charged Sunday with domestic violence assault, domestic violence terrorizing and criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon. He was held without bail late Sunday at Penobscot County Jail and is due to appear at the Penobscot County Judicial Center in Bangor on Monday, officials said.
Dexter police and a state police tactical team closed Maple Avenue and evacuated about 10 people from a half-dozen homes before Phillips ended the seven-hour incident by surrendering to Dexter Officer Kenneth Spaulding at gunpoint at about 9:40 a.m., Police Chief Kevin Wintle said.
Phillips had already refused state police orders to surrender when he exited his home with his 16-year-old daughter in front of him and her two teenage friends at his sides, effectively using them as shields, before going into custody, Wintle said Sunday.
Phillips “was belligerent, noncooperative,” Wintle said. “He told the officer that he was not going to put his hands up. When he did not comply [with orders to surrender], Officer Spaulding told the kids to move away. Obviously, they were upset, but they did what he told them to do.”
Spaulding didn’t shoot out of concern for the teens and because he saw that Phillips wasn’t carrying any weapons, Wintle said.
Phillips’ wife told police that Phillips allegedly shoved her and put a gun to her head before she escaped. He stood in a window looking for her while she and her son crouched in the woods west of their home and garage from 2:30 a.m. to about sunup, Wintle said.
“She wanted to get to her car,” Wintle said.
When she was able to get to her car, she and her son drove to a friend’s home out of town and called 911, eventually reaching Spaulding, at about 6:15 a.m. Spaulding called Wintle, who immediately called for tactical team assistance and for four of his own officers to come to the station.
Wintle said he tried to contact the children in Phillips’ home by cellphone and that police surrounded the home and began evacuating the neighborhood before attempting to contact Phillips. They believed that the children inside the home were asleep and not in any immediate danger, Wintle said.
Police found three rifles and three handguns hidden in several places around the house after Phillips surrendered, Wintle said.
Phillips’ wife alleged that Phillips threatened to kill police and set fire to their home before she escaped.
“We were told by his wife that he was going to take police on,” Wintle said.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and would like to talk with an advocate, call 866-834-4357, TRS 800-787-3224. This free, confidential service is available 24/7 and is accessible from anywhere in Maine.