A 65-year-old man from Jay was ordered Monday to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet as part of his release on bail after allegedly threatening his 25-year-old wife with a handgun Saturday.

Gary Bruce Hinkel faces felony domestic violence charges for the assault, which was reported to state police about 4 p.m. Saturday on Hampshire Hill Road in Mercer.

The caller reported that Hinkel was intoxicated and had threatened his wife with a 9 mm Beretta handgun. Three state troopers, a state police sergeant and a detective responded to the call, according to Lt. Mark Brooks, of state police Troop C in Skowhegan.

Hinkel also allegedly choked his wife, who was checked out by emergency medical services at the scene but declined to be taken to the hospital. Two children were present at the time, but neither was injured.

Brooks said Hinkel and his wife, whom police did not name, are parents to one of the children. The other child is Hinkel’s from a previous marriage.

Brooks said the wife fled the home to the safety of a neighbor’s residence. Hinkel was found in a nearby driveway looking for his wife. He was not armed at that time, Brooks said. No shots were fired and there were no other injuries, he said.

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Hinkel made his initial appearance in court Monday in Skowhegan. He is charged with domestic violence aggravated assault, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, punishable by up to five years in prison.

Bail was set by the court at $10,000 property bond or $1,000 cash with the stipulation that Hinkel wear an electronic ankle bracelet when he is released to make sure he does not leave Franklin or Somerset counties.

In August, Somerset County commissioners approved use of a Blutag, a one-piece GPS monitoring device used to track the movement of people charged with domestic violence crimes.

The program is the first in Maine, and money from an event sponsored by the parents of Amy Bagley Lake helped get it started. Bagley Lake, 38, and her two children, Coty, 13, and Monica, 12, were murdered in June 2011 by her estranged husband, Steven Lake, who also killed himself.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @Doug_Harlow


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