BANGOR, Maine — A Dexter man who on Sunday allegedly threatened his wife with a rifle as she hid in cold and rainy woods remained Monday at the Penobscot County Jail unable to post $50,000 cash or $100,000 surety bail.
George Phillips, 39, was charged with domestic violence assault, a Class D crime, and criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, a Class C crime, by the Penobscot County district attorney’s office. He made his first court appearance Monday at the Penobscot Judicial Center.
Superior Court Justice Ann Murray did not ask Phillips to enter pleas because he has not yet been indicted by the Penobscot County grand jury. The grand jury next convenes on Wednesday.
Phillips is next scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 14.
Through the attorney of the day, Benjamin Fowler of Bangor, Phillips told Murray that he might be able to post a $30,000 surety bail but could not post the high bail requested by the prosecutor’s office.
Susan Pope, assistant district attorney for Penobscot County, told the judge that one of the reasons for the high bail request was because police were not sure they had found all of Phillips’ guns.
Police seized more than six guns, including shotguns, rifles and handguns and ammunition from hiding places in the Phillips home on Maple Street in Dexter, according to court documents.
Most of the weapons were loaded, according to court documents.
Phillips’ wife told police that her husband was upset because she had asked him for a divorce last week. The couple argued over the weekend, according to court documents filed Monday.
She told police that Phillips allegedly shoved her and put a gun to her head before she escaped early Sunday morning. 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, according to court documents.
Eventually, she was able to get to her car, and she, along with her 14-year-old son, drove to a friend’s home out of town and called 911 about 6:15 a.m.
Dexter police and a state police tactical team arrived, closing Maple Street and evacuating about 10 people from a half-dozen homes before Phillips ended the seven-hour incident by surrendering to Dexter Officer Kenneth Spaulding at gunpoint about 9:40 a.m., Police Chief Kevin Wintle said Sunday.
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’ wife alleged that Phillips threatened to kill police and set fire to their home before she escaped.
If convicted of the felony charge of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, Phillips faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
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.
Bangor Daily News writer Nick Sambides Jr. contributed to this report.