OAKLAND — An Oakland man kicked out the rear door window and attempted to “kick his way into the front of the cruiser” Wednesday afternoon as he was being taken to the Kennebec County jail in Augusta, according to Oakland police.

Christoper Lee

Michael Christopher Lee, 45, had been arrested on a charge of domestic violence assault but received four additional charges as a result of his behavior in the cruiser, Capt. Rick Stubbert said. More charges could be coming, Stubbert added.

Officer Kelly Hooper, who was transporting Lee when he started to damage the vehicle, “had to stop on the interstate and was assisted by other members of the Oakland Police Department, State Police, and Kennebec (County) Sheriff’s Office to re-secure Lee and transfer him to another Oakland PD cruiser,” Stubbert wrote in a news release Thursday.

“He tried to kick his way through the plastic cage between him and Kelly,” Stubbert told the Morning Sentinel. “He was making verbal threats and was out of control.”

Lee first “became uncooperative” when he was located and arrested Wednesday afternoon, Stubbert said. He “continu(ed) to be uncooperative” after being transferred to the second police cruiser and driven to the county jail. In addition to shattering a window of the cruiser, he also “destroyed” the rear door of the vehicle Hooper had been driving, according to the news release.

“He bent the door and the frame, so that whole door needs to be replaced,” Stubbert said. He said he could not provide images of the vehicle because they are “still technically considered evidence and can’t be released ahead of discovery.”

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The alleged domestic violence assault originally was reported by the victim Wednesday morning, according to Stubbert, and it took police “several hours” to find and arrest Lee. Stubbert said the Oakland man has a criminal history in other states.

Lee was charged with class C aggravated criminal mischief, class D domestic violence assault, class D reckless conduct and class E refusing to submit to arrest. He is being held on $50,000 cash bail.

In Maine, class C crimes are punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine, class D misdemeanors are punishable by up to one year in county jail and a $2,000 fine, and class E misdemeanors are punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

The Kennebec County domestic violence investigator, state police and the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office assisted Oakland police in the incident, Stubbert said.


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