RUMFORD — Two men remained jailed Thursday, one day after an incident at Mountain Valley Variety on Lincoln Avenue.

Damen James Korhonen, 20, of Route 108 in Canton and Nicholas R. Varnum, 22, of 6 Dix Ave. Apt. 2, in Mexico were still incarcerated at the Oxford County Jail in Paris early Thursday evening, a jail official said.

Rumford officer Joseph Sage charged Korhonen with theft, failure to submit to arrest, assault on an officer and violation of bail conditions. The charges stem from an incident at about 9:52 p.m. at Mountain Valley Variety on Lincoln Avenue, Chief Stacy Carter said Thursday afternoon.

Sage charged Varnum with disorderly conduct and obstructing government administration.

Carter said Sage responded to the store to investigate a theft complaint.

“While he was trying to investigate the theft, Korhonen failed to submit to arrest or detention, did assault the officer and tried to flee,” Carter said.

“Nick Varnum attempted to interfere, but a bystander, who I’m not going to name, assisted (Sage) until an off-duty officer and the other on-duty officer arrived to help.”

Carter said Korhonen “tried punching (Sage) and knocked his lapel microphone off.

“We’re very much appreciative of (the bystander’s) willingness to assist so that there wasn’t any serious injuries to the officer or the subjects,” Carter said.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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