BANGOR, Maine — An Old Town man who police say was on the synthetic drug bath salts and who claimed someone was trying to kill him, destroyed the men’s room at a Main Street convenience store Saturday night, Bangor police Sgt. Paul Edwards said Monday.

Jeremy Hoxie, 21, who was sent to prison in 2009 for burglary and stealing drugs, told police around 7:40 p.m. that “he thought there were people trying to murder him,” the sergeant said.

He went into the bathroom at the Circle K convenience store and ripped out ceiling tiles and the electrical system, Edwards said. “He somehow got up there and pulled out all the wires.”

Bath salts, a designer drug that became illegal in Maine in July, usually contains mephedrone or methylenedioxypyrovalerone, known as MDPV, which soon will be federally outlawed. Police, doctors and emergency responders have reported signs of paranoia, hallucinations, convulsions and psychotic behavior in users of the lab-made drug.

Hoxie was arrested by Officer Joe Baillargeon and charged with felony aggravated criminal mischief. The suspect was taken to the County Jail, where he remained Monday afternoon, Edwards said.

Hoxie was just 19 when he was convicted in Penobscot County Superior Court in October 2009 of burglary and stealing drugs, according to prior court listings printed in the Bangor Daily News. He was given 30 months in prison for both offenses, with the sentences to be served concurrently. The crimes occurred in 2008, a jail official said Monday.

If convicted of the aggravated criminal mischief charge from Saturday, Hoxie could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.

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