KINGFIELD — A town official accused of ramming his Jeep into his ex-girlfriend’s car and assaulting another man will appear in court later this month to consider a possible plea deal, according to the official’s attorney.

The town official, Douglas Marble, 33, faces multiple charges in connection with his alleged confrontation with his ex-girlfriend and two other men in New Vineyard on April 10.

The three people involved in the incident told police that Marble rammed his Jeep into his ex-girlfriend’s car and attacked another man who was a passenger in her car, according to a report by Maine State Trooper Joshua C. Birmingham.

Marble, who is the administrative assistant and code enforcement officer for the town of Kingfield, had previously appeared in Franklin County Superior Court in Farmington to answer to the charges on Dec. 16.

At the hearing, prosecutors presented a plea deal that could have settled the case by requiring Marble to pay fines and follow other conditions to avoid jail time.

Chris Keirstead, the man Marble is accused of assaulting, addressed the court during the brief hearing, claiming the prosecution and defense attorneys both had details of the case incorrect.

Keirstead said he was struck by the Jeep as Marble was driving it. Keirstead also said that his ankle was broken during the assault and asked for the court to impose a more severe punishment.

Franklin County Assistant District Attorney James Andrews, who is handling the prosecution of Marble, responded to the claims during the hearing.

There are discrepancies between the accounts of the incident given by Keirstead, the ex-girlfriend and another man, making it difficult to determine certain details, he said.

Justice Michaela Murphy said at the hearing she will set another court date to give attorneys and the court more time to address the claims made by Keirstead.

“It’s not typical for a victim to come in and say, ‘This is not true,'” Murphy said.

Marble is scheduled to appear for a sentencing hearing to discuss the case and a possible plea deal on Jan. 20, according to David Sanders, his attorney.

Marble had been prepared to consider the plea deal offered by the prosecution, Sanders said in a phone interview last week. Marble would have entered conditional guilty pleas to charges of assault and reckless conduct, with the conditions being tied to legal measures that allow him to avoid certain punishments, Sanders said.

Marble also faces charges of domestic violence stalking, violating a protective order and criminal trespassing in connection with the alleged confrontation. Those charges would be dismissed under the original plea deal, Sanders said.

The facts of the case are disputed by Marble, and the prosecution has told the court that Keirstead and the other two people told stories that varied, Sanders said. Marble declined to comment on the case when reached by phone last week.

According to the report by Birmingham, Marble left the scene of the confrontation before police were called, and he was pulled over in his Jeep by sheriff’s deputies later that day.

After investigating the incident, Birmingham issued Marble with summonses for multiple charges in connection with the confrontation.

The sheriff’s deputy also discovered marijuana in Marble’s Jeep during the traffic stop and issued him a summons for unlawful possession, the report states.

Selectman Heather Moody, who chairs the Kingfield Board of Selectman, said recently that the court case has not affected Marble’s employment at the town. She declined to comment on specifics of the case and other board members could not be reached.

 

David Robinson — 861-9287

drobinson@centralmaine.com