AUGUSTA — A city man impersonated a police officer so he could heave bleach into a woman’s face, police said.

Charles Cortright, 44, is charged with aggravated assault and impersonating a public servant, said Deputy Chief Jared Mills, of the Augusta Police Department. Cortright also was charged with simple assault and criminal mischief.

Cortright was being held without bail Tuesday at the Kennebec County jail in Augusta.

Police were called to Pine View Estates at 303 Capitol St. shortly before 7 p.m. Monday. Officers found a 60-year-old woman had been doused with bleach, Mills said. Police are withholding the names of the people reported to be victims.

Cortright also reportedly punched a 56-year-old man whom Mills described as the property owner. The man was not injured, Mills said.

“The victims and the suspect knew each other,” he said.

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Mills said Cortright and the woman had argued earlier in the evening. Cortright left and returned a short time later. He knocked on the woman’s apartment door, Mills said.

“When she asked who it was, he said it was the police,” Mills said. “He threw bleach into the face of the victim (when she opened the door).”

Mills said Cortright was wearing plain clothes and made no other attempts to impersonate an officer other than to say that he was with the police. “He got her to open the door by saying he was a police officer,” Mills said.

The woman was taken to MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta.

“The long-term injuries are unknown,” he said.

No criminal history about Cortright could be found in records of Augusta police or Kennebec County and federal courts.

Craig Crosby — 621-5642
ccrosby@centralmaine.com


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