A 44-year-old Jefferson man faces charges for allegedly choking a woman and punching a juvenile in the throat during separate incidents in the same week.
James A. Burk Sr. faces charges of class B aggravated assault, a felony; and class D domestic violence assault, a misdemeanor, according to court documents. A class B crime carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; a class D crime 364 days.
Burk allegedly punched the juvenile in the chest and throat and shoved the juvenile at a Jefferson residence Saturday night, Oct. 31, according to an affidavit by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy 1st Class Mark Bridgham.
Bridgham arrested Burk on the domestic violence assault charge, as well as for a probation violation.
Burk is on probation for a conviction of class D operating under the influence with one prior in 2014, according to the Maine Department of Corrections. He was sentenced to 180 days in custody with all but seven days suspended, plus a year of probation, Jan. 22.
Burk’s probation conditions prohibit the possession or use of alcohol and subject him to random searches and tests for alcohol.
Burk’s blood-alcohol level was allegedly 0.23 grams per 210 liters, or about three times the legal limit for driving, at the time of his arrest Oct. 31, according to Bridgham. Bridgham transported Burk to Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Detective Jared Mitkus continued to investigate Sunday, Nov. 1. Mitkus specializes in domestic violence investigations.
During the investigation, a woman told Mitkus that Burk had choked her Oct. 25. A witness verified the account. Burk denied the allegation, but Mitkus rearrested Burk – who was still at Two Bridges – on the charge of aggravated assault Sunday afternoon.
As of Thursday, Nov. 5, Burk remained at Two Bridges. He is scheduled to appear at the Lincoln County courthouse at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 28.