FARMINGTON – An Auburn man has been indicted on a felony assault charge and four misdemeanors in connection with an incident in Eustis last year in which he allegedly choked a woman and assaulted a 10-year-old child when the juvenile attempted to make him stop.
Benjamin Hathorne, 25 of Auburn, has been indicted by the Franklin County grand jury on one count of aggravated assault, a Class B felony, as well as four misdemeanors: two counts of domestic violence assault, one count of domestic violence terrorizing, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child. All of the charges stem from an incident which is alleged to have occurred in October 2021 in Eustis.
According to affidavits filed with the court system, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office personnel responded to an address in Eustis at approximately 11:07 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 10, after receiving a report of a man holding down a woman.
Hathorne was located outside the residence when police arrived, while the woman was inside. Deputy Austin Couture wrote in his affidavit that Hathorne told him that the woman must have “had a stroke or was having heat stroke” because she had attacked him, forcing him to restrain her. Meanwhile, FCSO Sgt. Ryan Close was reportedly told by the woman that she had been choked by Hathorne until she lost consciousness.
Hathorne’s own injuries, which included scratches around his neck, were consistent with defensive wounds that had been caused by the woman, per the affidavit. NorthStar Ambulance staff who responded to the address with FCSO and Carrabassett Valley police also told police that the woman was showing signs of having been choked. Hathorne was asked how he had gotten scratched and reportedly told police that he didn’t know. Couture wrote in the affidavit that, upon being advised by police that it appeared that the woman had scratched him while trying to defend herself, Hathorne indicated that he was done talking and wanted to speak to a lawyer. Hathorne was then arrested and transported to Franklin County Detention Center.
A child in the home, age 10, told police that he had tried to get Hathorne off of the woman but had been thrown across the room. According to the affidavit, the child made a comment to Close that “he just wasn’t big enough to protect [the woman].”
An indictment means that, after considering the evidence the district attorney has presented, the grand jury believes there is probable cause, or a “reasonable belief” that the crime occurred.
