An Eddington school board member was on the run in New York City’s Times Square and in Boston earlier this month while a warrant was out for her arrest, court documents released Wednesday reveal.
Brittany Wood, 36, had her bail set at $50,000 during her first appearance Wednesday in Penobscot County, nearly two weeks after police first issued a warrant for her arrest. Judge Ann Murray set Wood’s bail and a no-contact provision with her husband, Thomas Wood, and father, Anthony Long.
Brittany Wood is charged with domestic violence aggravated assault, a Class B felony, and endangering the welfare of a child, a Class D misdemeanor, in connection to an infant overdose on May 31. The then 9-month-old infant was revived after CPR and a dose of naloxone, an opioid overdose antidote.
The same drugs that were found in the child’s system, which included fentanyl and cocaine, were found in Wood’s blood, according to court documents. When searching Wood’s home, police found partially used bottles of methadone in drawers with baby clothes, according to court documents.
Wood, a paralegal with Walker Law, was arrested by the Brewer Police Department Tuesday night. The search for Wood took nearly two weeks, according to court documents.
A warrant for Wood’s arrest was issued on July 2 after the sheriff’s office investigated the overdose, but she did not turn herself in.
For roughly the first two weeks of July, local police were speaking with Thomas Wood as well as waiting for Brittany Wood outside of her work, at one of her child’s baseball games and at a Department of Health and Human Services meeting with Thomas Wood and the child who overdosed. Brittany Wood never appeared.
Detectives used a search warrant to track Wood’s phone. It pinged twice in Boston on July 8 and once in Times Square on July 9.
Detectives also found that Wood had rented a car in New York City, and was supposed to return it to the Bangor International Airport on July 11.
While waiting for Wood on July 11, police stopped a Jeep Gladiator registered to her. Long, Wood’s father, was driving the Jeep. When pulled over, Long did not cooperate with police but did call Wood.
During the call, Wood refused to tell police where she was or turn herself in, according to court documents.
Brittanie Thomas, Wood’s attorney, said Wednesday that Wood did not know about the warrant for her arrest until she read an article online and returned to Maine once she read it. Thomas did not say when Wood read the article.
Brewer Police arrested Wood Tuesday night.
Wood had previously refused to answer questions from police at Eastern Maine Medical Center following her child’s overdose.
Wood’s attorney and boss, David Walker, was with her and told her to “shut up” multiple times when she attempted to answer questions, according to court documents.
Walker attempted to represent Wood Wednesday but was late to court. Walker said he will represent Wood until she receives a court appointed lawyer during her next hearing, which is set for Nov. 3.
Walker’s phone was found on Wood when her child overdosed, according to court records. When asked if that would cause an issue with Walker representing Wood, Penobscot County District Attorney Christopher Almy said he will “leave that for another day.”
Wood is a member of the Regional School Unit 63 school board. RSU 63 comprises Clifton, Eddington and Holden. Eddington and RSU 63 are already preparing to fill the remainder of Wood’s term because she has missed the last two meetings. The board’s absentee policy removes a member if they miss three meetings; it meets again in August.
Wood’s term ends July 2027.