AUGUSTA — A patient at Riverview Psychiatric Center who attacked a chaplain two years ago is again facing charges, this time in connection with an assault that left four people injured.

Anthony P. Reed, 36, was charged this week with violating his probation and returned to the Maine State Prison in Warren, according to Capitol Police Chief Russell Gauvin.

The investigation into the attack is ongoing, Gauvin said. Information gathered during that investigation will be sent to the Kennebec County district attorney for a decision on charges, he said.

Gauvin said four people were injured during Reed’s attack at the state psychiatric hospital, which occurred about 3 p.m. Wednesday. One of those injured, a female mental health worker, was taken to MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta for treatment of what Gauvin described as non life-threatening injuries.

Reed became angry at a rule that applies to all patients within the hospital and lost control, Gauvin said.

“He decided to lash out at several staff members,” Gauvin said.

The Riverview staff called Capitol Police, who cover state property, and Augusta police for help. Reed had calmed down and was in his room when officers arrived, and he submitted to arrest, Gauvin said.

Gauvin said his department had met with the district attorney’s office and probation officers when they learned that Reed had been transferred back to Riverview. Earlier reports indicate he had been at the state prison in Warren before his most recent transfer.

“We knew Mr. Reed was a high-risk person, so we had already talked about the possibility of this happening,” Gauvin said. “He has a history and we were concerned it might happen again. It did.”

Riverview Superintendent Mary Louise McEwen declined to comment on the reported assaults or to discuss steps Riverview takes to prevent such attacks. She also declined to provide an update on conditions of the injured staff members.

This is the second time Reed has been accused of injuring staff members since McEwen took over as superintendent three years ago. Reed was sentenced in March 2010 to two years behind bars for an attack on the Rev. James Weathersby, a chaplain at Riverview.

The district attorney at the time said the assault was motivated in part by racism. Weathersby, who is black, spent months recovering from his injuries.

Reed pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault and was sentenced during a court session at the Maine State Prison. The plea and sentencing were held in a courtroom at the prison because of security concerns, Evert Fowle, former Kennebec County district attorney, said at the time.

“Mr. Reed has very severe mental illness, and he’s violent and he’s volatile,” Fowle said at the time. “The crime was 100 percent motivated by the fact that Mr. Weathersby is African-American. This is virulent racism combined with very significant mental illness.”

Craig Crosby — 621-5642

ccrosby@centralmaine.com

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