AUGUSTA — A judge on Friday ordered that an Augusta man recently charged with assaulting a police officer undergo evaluations of his competence and mental state.

Peter R. Stebbins, 28, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon after allegedly pushing one police officer in the chest and punching another in the face, Sgt. Christopher Shaw of the Augusta Police Department wrote in an affidavit.

Police charged Stebbins with assaulting an officer and refusing to submit to arrest after the alleged tussle.

Two officers and a mental health worker first approached Stebbins on Water Street after authorities in Penobscot County requested local police conduct a well-being check on him, Shaw wrote in the affidavit. The man’s father had called the Penobscot County authorities, worried that “his son was coming to harm him,” Shaw wrote.

After receiving a call that Stebbins was walking across the Calumet Bridge at Old Fort Western, the officers located him on Water Street. The mental health worker, Greg Smith, told Stebbins he had to come to receive a health evaluation, but Stebbins began to walk away, Shaw wrote.

Stebbins also said “that his father needs to be stabbed in the throat,” Shaw wrote.

After starting to walk away, Stebbins allegedly pushed one officer who was present, Shaw, and repeatedly punched another, Officer Robert Mathieu, as they tried to subdue him.

Both officers received scrapes and bruises, but didn’t need to go to a hospital for medical attention, Lt. Chris Read said on Friday afternoon after reading the incident report.

“We were able to escort him to the ground where handcuffs were finally applied,” Shaw wrote. “Stebbins was transported to the hospital for an (evaluation) and once released he was transported to the Kennebec County jail.”

In a complaint filed in unified criminal court, Shaw wrote that Stebbins “did intentionally, knowingly or recklessly cause bodily injury to (Officer) Robert Mathieu.”

But on Friday, during an initial court appearance via video link between the jail and Capital Judicial Center, Stebbins contested that point.

“I disagree with it being intentionally,” he said.

During the initial appearance, Assistant District Attorney Kristin Murray-James said Stebbins had prior criminal convictions from 2006 and 2009 and a pending assault charge in Kennebec County.

She also said there were some assault investigations begun in 2007 when Stebbins was an in-patient at Riverview Psychiatric Center, but those were not pursued.

She sought $2,500 cash bail with conditions that Stebbins be prohibited from having dangerous weapons, including knives.

While Stebbins was represented by Kevin Sullivan, as lawyer of the day, Stebbins addressed the judge directly several times. He said he would like to be free on personal recognizance bail and to be checked into Riverview for a month. He said he did not object to the prohibition on weapons.

Walker ordered a competence evaluation for Stebbins as well as an evaluation of his mental state at the time of the alleged crime to determine criminal responsibility.

Stebbins’ next hearing is set for 2 p.m. Sept. 13. Walker set his bail at $1,000 cash with conditions.

Staff Writer Betty Adams contributed to this report.

Charles Eichacker — 621-5642

ceichacker@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @ceichacker

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