Arete Maselli, 26, crashed his father’s BMW near the intersection of Congress and State streets on Jan. 3, damaging three other vehicles and injuring himself and two other people. Photo by Russell Norton

The 26-year-old son of a Portland lawyer has been indicted in connection with a January incident in which police allege he assaulted his father, stole his car and survived a high-speed crash in downtown Portland that sent several people to the hospital.

Arete Maselli, who is listed in court paperwork as a transient, faces 12 counts related to the Jan. 3 confrontation with his father, attorney William D. Maselli. The incident began in Bramhall Square and ended when Arete Maselli, driving his father’s 1999 BMW 7 series, crashed near the intersection of State and Congress streets – Longfellow Square – while speeding, according to police.

Arete Maselli was indicted by the Cumberland County grand jury. He is charged with felony aggravated assault for injuring two people who were in one of the cars he struck, and felony driving to endanger. The other 10 charges are all misdemeanors: four counts of criminal mischief for damaging or destroying the car he was driving and three vehicles he struck; four counts of assault, including one for the alleged assault of his father; and one count of theft, for allegedly stealing his father’s car.

In an email message, William Maselli declined to comment.

Although Arete Maselli was charged in March, he has not been arrested, and the court issued a warrant for his arrest.

Police reports that were filed in support of the charges were ordered impounded by a judge because they contain medical information, according to the county criminal court clerk’s office.

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However, the crash report filed by police indicated Arete Maselli’s condition at the time of the crash was “emotional (distressed, angry, disturbed, etc.).”

The crash occurred as Arete Maselli slammed into the back of a car waiting at a red light on Congress Street, pushing it into a third vehicle and then a fourth, according to police.

After the crash, Arete Maselli was transported to Maine Medical Center for treatment of his injuries, which were not considered to be life-threatening.

The BMW he was driving was nearly demolished, with the front half of the vehicle obliterated.

Matt Byrne can be contacted at 791-6303 or at:

mbyrne@pressherald.com

Twitter: MattByrnePPH


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