A Connecticut man accused of assaulting a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer in Lubec pleaded not guilty.
Devin Austin Bishop, 29, of Manchester, Connecticut, is charged with one count each of assaulting a federal officer, and failing to report his arrival and present for inspection at the border crossing. He appeared in U.S. District Court of Maine in Bangor on Monday.
Bishop is being held at the Somerset County Jail without bail. There is a serious risk of him fleeing if he was released, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Bishop was driving across the bridge that connects Canada’s Campobello Island to Lubec around 6:40 p.m. on Feb. 22 when he allegedly sped across the border without stopping.
An officer pursued Bishop, who eventually stopped and allegedly refused commands given by the border officer, an FBI affidavit said. Bishop was muttering to himself and started “yelling incoherently” when the officer tried to handcuff him, the affidavit said.
The officer pepper sprayed Bishop and tried to arrest him, but the pair started struggling in the middle of the road, according to the affidavit. At one point Bishop grabbed the officer’s gun, which went off during the struggle, but no one was shot, the affidavit said.
A passing driver stopped to help subdue Bishop, who was then taken to a Machias medical facility for observation.
No future court dates are scheduled.