A massive, daylong, countywide manhunt that started Monday morning and led to a brief school lock-down in Greene ended peacefully Monday evening when a Lewiston man suspected of beating a child surrendered to a sergeant with the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Department.
Brian Smith, left and Rielly Bryant, middle, from the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office are assisted by an unidentified Maine State Trooper and his canine as they prepare to enter the woods behind Greene Central School Monday afternoon in search of a man wanted for beating a young child
A pair of Lewiston police officers walk along the railroad tracks on outer College Road in Lewiston Monday afternoon in search of a suspect in the beating of a young child.
A plane from the Maine Warden Service circles Greene Monday afternoon in search of a man wanted in connection with the beating of a child.
David C. Richards, 26, of Lewiston was charged with assault, violation of conditions of release and refusing to submit to arrest or detention. He was being held Monday night at the Androscoggin County Jail on $10,060 bail after being taken into custody about 4:40 p.m. Monday in the area around Grove and Pond streets.
Lt. Glenn Holt, with the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Department, said that the incident started at a residence on Star Drive in Leeds when deputies went to the home to talk with Richards about an assault complaint filed with the department. Holt said that a relative of Richards, Kaylin Dawley, lived at the home and stalled deputies while Richards ran out the back door of the residence into the woods.
Dawley was also arrested as a result of the incident and charged with hindering apprehension.
"We'd gone out there to question him and possibly take him into custody on a domestic violence assault," Holt said.
The search for Richards lasted much of the day on Monday and involved search teams from several departments, including the sheriff's department, Lewiston Police Department, Maine State Police and Maine Warden Service. In addition to law enforcement personnel, the search included two police dogs and an airplane.
Holt said that Greene Central School, located on Main Street in Greene, was locked down for a short period of time during the afternoon when the search party came close to school grounds. Holt said that the outer doors of the building were secured, but that Richards never actually went on school property. Richards had not made any threats involving the building, but was in the area of the school while on the run.
The victim's identity is being withheld due to age, Holt said, adding that the case remains under investigation. Richards could face additional charges. He also has a prior conviction for domestic violence assault against a different victim and was already out on bail on other charges.
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To hell with the
To hell with the constitution, we got an angry mob with pitchforks that has all the answers.
Child molesters, murderers, terrorists and rapists get due process, but not a guy who is accused (probably by a bitter ex) of child abuse. Brilliant.
What was Jefferson thinking with a Bill of Rights? Why not let the mobs meet out justice? That seems to be the mindset here.
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You idiots worrying about this guys constitutional rights fail to realize the kids rights to live in a safe home.... you losers failed to notice that this is his second offence for which he was already out on bail. Do you really think after violating that bail with a similar offence gives him the right to bail again?
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The Bill of Rights that gives this guy the right to bail is the same Bill of Rights that gives you the freedom to make stupid comments like yours.
Yes, the welfare of the child should come first and DHHS I am sure is involved.
And I hope if he did indeed beat this child that he is severely punished.
But:
1. The article says he is "accused" of beating a child. We don't know if he actually did or not. His ex could have used his other charges against him and made all of this up. We don't know
2. Just because he has another charge doesn't make him automatically guilty of this one.
3. Even if he is guilty of ALL the charges he is still entitled to bail. Even if you are mad at him.
4. Anybody can be falsely accused, and if you ever are then I'll bet you'll be squealing for your constitutional rights.
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To those of you who wish to deny Richards his constitutional rights and bail...you are positive proof that our public education system has failed.
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You are probably his beer drinkin pal? The education system may have failed you but a child beater deserves nothing from us or America. He should feel lucky we have jails to protect him from ticked off citizens.
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the Facebook page ~ she's making that disgusting "duck face". Sad little girl.
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Great another knocked-up, unwed ,welfare receiptant helping a once already convicted abuser... what a world we live in. What is happening in this state ? where are the decent , respectful, working people ? Better yet who are the idiot parents of this girl who was helping him ? You definitly did not pass parenting 101 class. People like this girl and the guy she was helping to get away should never be able to reproduce as the cycle will continue and so it goes
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Why don't we continue to let these losers out on bail..that is the American way isn't it..nobody is guilty..RIGHT!!!!!
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until they are convicted in a court of law. You can't sentence anyone to jail until they are convicted. The point of holding a person in jail when they are first arrested is NOT because they are guilty.....it is simply holding them until they post enough bail to ensure that they show up for court.
You people want this guy to serve a jail sentence before you hear the facts of the case, and more importantly, you want him to serve a jail sentence before his is even found guilty and sentenced.
Sorry guys, as mad as you may be, in America we are guaranteed the right to bail by the constitution to prevent people from serving sentences before they are convicted.
Question for you? What if he was denied bail (which wont happen cause its illegal) and stayed in jail for a year waiting for trial. He loses his home, his job and everything else he owns. And then, at trial it is discovered that his ex made all of this up and he is completely innocent. How much would the government owe him for compensation for false imprisonment and the loss of his job, home, cars etc? When bail is set, the choice of getting out is his. So if he doesn't make bail and loses his home, it is his choice and not the responsibility of the government because they are not forcing him to stay in jail before he is convicted.
There are reasons the constitution gives an accused person the right to bail. And it doesn't matter how mad you are at him. It just makes you look foolish because you don't know the law, and you have no respect for our US and Maine Constitutions.
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http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=100000243380863&v=wall&ref=ts
" worst day of my life. got arrested for someone i never really like nor trusted. Major headache. Never going home again, exept to feed the animals till moms home"
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what is this!?
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It is the girl that helped him escape. She is pregnant and posted that she doesn't even like him so why take the risk of hiding him?
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wow.... thats all i have to say.. freaking losers!!!!
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I went to school with this dirt bag, I dont even think he finshed. Hes a coward for beating this little child. They was just being a kid. That is what time out is for. And this child beater can get on cash bail!? What to go and hurt the child again!? Or run so no one can find him? COME ON MAINE what the hell is wrong with you! We shouldnt allow BAIL FOR ANYTHING like this! We need new laws that will stop violance!! He could have kill this child!!!!! THAT IS NOT OK WITH ME!
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Throw out the constitution?
The man should pay for beating a kid, but he is still entitled to due process of the law.
http://www.state.me.us/sos/arc/general/constit/consar1.htm
Section 10. Bailable offenses; habeas corpus. No person
before conviction shall be bailable for any of the crimes which now
are, or have been denominated capital offenses since the
adoption of the Constitution, when the proof is evident or the
presumption great, whatever the punishment of the crimes may
be. And the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not
be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion
the public safety may require it.
Both the Maine Constitution and the US Constitution gaurantee a person's right to bail except for certain crimes or circumstances. This case isn't one of them. The Constitution is clear, "And the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it", and since this charge isn't punishable by capital punishment (or formerly punishable) the man is entitled to bail.
Being mad at this guy is not a legal reason to deny him bail.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Amazing!
You people want your constitutional rights you deserve, but you would deny this man's constitutional rights he deserves.
How can you disagree with my post here quoting the Constitutional right to bail? Do you believe in everyone's constitutional rights, or just your own?
Besides, this guy has been only charged with a crime. It has yet to be proven, and he has not been convicted. The police were only going to "investigate" it until he chose to run. And even him running doesn't prove guilt. (Remember the term "innocent until proven guilty"?)
Saying that "he shouldn't be given bail" is based on emotion, not on law or good judgement. Actually, it is so ignorant that it sounds like something that a Jr High School kid would say.
It could be that he actually did beat the child, in which case he should be punished. It could be that he simply spanked the child, and someone is trying to use it to get back at him. And it could be that he never touched the child and the whole report to ACCSO is a lie. We don't know. That is why we have due process. But you can't hold him without bail because either, you have determined he is guilty before you even know the facts, or you are just mad at him. That is simply not legal....in any state.
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His rights should go down the same drain he crawled out of. And tough to him, beat a kid stay in jail until you have your day in court! Dude dont be a monster, it was a CHILD!
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond."Holt said that a relative of
"Holt said that a relative of Richards, Kaylin Dawley, lived at the home and stalled deputies while Richards ran out the back door of the residence into the woods." She might as well have beat the kid too for helping him escape. I'm embarrassed to say that these people live in my town. I say let the dogs get both of them.
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