A Norridgewock man already facing charges that he assaulted a police officer was being held Tuesday following a weekend dispute over marijuana that culminated with the man assaulting another officer, authorities said.
The events Saturday evening culminated with the arrest of 36-year-old John W. Whitney, who faces charges that include two counts of assaulting a police officer, two counts of violating conditions of release, criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, burglary of a motor vehicle and refusing to submit to arrest, according to Chief Deputy Michael Mitchell of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies received a complaint Saturday around 8:15 p.m. from a woman in Norridgewock reporting that her son, later identified as Whitney, had come to her home on Currier Drive and caused a disturbance, Mitchell said.
“(She) reported that her son had messaged her saying that he wanted some money for (marijuana) and she told him no,” Mitchell said. “He said he was going to walk to her home in Norridgewock and told her that she was going to give him some money as well as his EBT card.”
The government-issued card was in her possession after Whitney had requested she purchase groceries for him earlier in the day, Mitchell said. Whitney arrived at the home intoxicated and banged on the front door with a hammer. The EBT card was given to Whitney but he began hitting the door again with the hammer, Mitchell said.
“She told (Whitney) to leave and he started to walk away. When he walked by her car, he smashed the passenger-side window with a hammer, got in the glove box and took a bag of medical marijuana,” Mitchell said.
Deputies searched for Whitney and eventually requested assistance from Skowhegan police to be on the lookout along Norridgewock Avenue, River Road and West Front Street. Whitney was located around 9:30 p.m. by Skowhegan Officer Alex Burns and a physical altercation ensued, according to Skowhegan police Chief David Bucknam.
“When the officer told (Whitney) he was under arrest, Whitney said, ‘No, you’re not arresting me,’ and grabbed Officer Burns by the throat and started to choke him,” Bucknam said. “He then grabbed ahold of his duty weapon, trying to unholster it.”
Burns was punched and kicked but was able to deploy his Taser and take Whitney into custody, Bucknam said. Whitney was taken to Redington-Fairview General Hospital in Skowhegan for evaluation before being taken to the Somerset County Jail in Madison.
Bucknam said officers were not seriously injured during the altercation but added that Whitney made several threats against officers as he was being taken to the hospital.
At the time of his arrest, Whitney was out on bond on charges that he assaulted a Skowhegan officer in November.
He was being held without bail Tuesday at the jail.
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