Wiscasset Police Chief Troy Cline arrested a 30-year-old Pittston man on Monday, Dec. 14 after the man allegedly assaulted Cline and damaged a police car.

At approximately 4:10 p.m. Monday, Cline responded to the intersection of Foye and Gardiner roads for a reported vehicle off the road and into the ditch. The vehicle was described as a green Toyota Camry. Wiscasset Fire Department personnel arrived on scene first and advised Cline that there were no injuries. Firefighter and part-time police officer Steven Smith was on scene and was standing with a male and female subject.

The owner of the vehicle was identified as Lucy Van Summern, 32, of Pittston. When Cline asked what had happened to cause the vehicle to be in the ditch, Van Summern advised that she had been driving the vehicle and the male had been a passenger. She told Cline that they had been having a verbal argument and she was attempting to make a left onto Gardiner Road to go home to Pittston. This is when the male allegedly grabbed the steering wheel and pulled it hard to the right causing them to go off the roadway and into the ditch.

Cline then requested identification from the male, later identified at Matthew Pelletier of Pittston. He refused to provide it and Cline placed Pelletier in handcuffs to detain him and attempt to identify him. Cline escorted Pelletier to his vehicle and Pelletier allegedly became combative. He attempted to head butt Cline in the face. The chief moved his head away just before this and was only glanced by the head butt which struck the chief’s left cheek area. Cline struggled with Pelletier and was able to subdue him while Smith unlocked the cruiser’s doors. Pelletier was placed in the rear seat of the 2008 Ford Crown Victoria.

Cline attempted to speak further with Van Summern and requested Smith watch Pelletier. While Cline was interviewing Van Summern, he discovered that the two subjects were in fact married. Shortly after Cline heard this, Smith called for Cline.

Pelletier was allegedly kicking the passenger side rear door of the cruiser near the window. Before Cline could get to the cruiser, Pelletier allegedly kicked out the back window. Cline requested assistance and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department personnel responded as well as Wiscasset School Resource Officer Tom Hoepner. Pelletier was transferred to Hoepner’s vehicle, which has a prisoner partition and window bars. Hoepner transported Pelletier to Mid Coast Hospital where he was medically cleared for incarceration.

Cline subsequently charged Pelletier with the following charges: Reckless Conduct, a Class D crime; Refusal to Submit to Arrest of Detention, a Class D crime; Assault (on Cline), a Class D crime; and Aggravated Criminal Mischief, a Class C crime due to the damage putting the police car out of service.

After Pelletier was cleared for incarceration, Hoepner took him to Two Bridges Regional Jail in WIscasset.

Cline had only minor injuries from the altercation.

Bail was set at $1,000 cash and Pelletier made bail later that night. He is expected to appear in Wiscasset Court on Jan. 28 at 8:30 a.m. for his arraignment.