CARRABASSETT VALLEY – A standoff that lasted almost five hours ended Thursday afternoon when Kenneth Sassi surrendered to police at his home.

Sassi, 62, and his wife, Catherine, 60, were at their house on the access road to Sugarloaf Mountain Thursday morning when a verbal fight erupted, Sgt. James Urquhart of the Maine State Police said.

The couple, who had just returned from vacation, had been drinking for about 12 to 14 hours prior to the fight, he said. It escalated into a physical confrontation with Kenneth assaulting her, the investigator said.

Around 10:30 a.m., the Carrabassett Police Department responded after a call was received from Catherine, who had fled the house and walked down the street. From her cell phone she reported her husband had threatened to kill her and shoot at police if they came near the house, Urquhart said.

The Carrabassett Police Department tried to contact Kenneth on the telephone. When he refused to answer or come to the door, Maine State Police were called, Urquhart said. At 11:10 a.m., 12 members of the tactical team were called in, who surrounded the house and used a robot to survey the scene.

“The robot is equipped with surveillance cameras and can give intelligence about the house without putting an officer to the windows,” said Urquhart, who is in charge of the tactical team.

After about two hours of watching the house, the team commander said he had State Police negotiators call Kenneth on a second phone line that was used after the suspect pulled the first one out of the wall. Officers negotiated with him for about 20 minutes before he walked out at 3:16 p.m. without any weapons.

He was arrested and taken to the Franklin County Detention Center in Farmington, where he is being held on charges of domestic assault and terrorizing. Bail has been set at $1,000 cash or $10,000 surety.

Staff Writer Donna Perry contributed to this report.

jkachinski@sunjournal.com

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