Font Resize-- A Windham man is facing up to 18 months behind bars and up to a $5,000 fine, after he allegedly punched and spat at his ex-wife.
William R Farace, 51, pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor domestic assault charge on Aug. 6, during his arraignment in Windham County Superior Court Criminal Division.
According to the affidavit, members of the Vermont State Police responded to a home along Route 30 in Townshend after a woman reported she had just been assaulted.
Senior Trooper John Waitekus stated that when he interviewed the victim, he saw she had a red mark on her neck and under her left ear.
Farace had gone to the woman’s home with some paperwork he needed her to sign and the two began to argue. That escalated when he spat at her and she returned fire, spitting back at him, the affidavit states.
He then allegedly punched her in the left jaw and neck area.
The trooper stated he learned Farace was being treated at Grace Cottage Hospital and when Waitekus went to interview him, he saw three deep scratches on the right side of his face that were bleeding.
Farace said he never hit the victim and that a mutual friend had witnessed the entire event.
The friend however, told police he saw Farace spit at the victim, she spat back, then what looked like Farace hit the woman in the face. He said he never saw the victim hit or scratch Farace.
-- A local homeless man is facing up to 11 years behind
Last month, Daniel Silverman, 40, pleaded not guilty to one felony count of forgery and one misdemeanor count of petit larceny.
According to the affidavit, Silverman stole two checks and wrote them to himself for $200 and $250, forging the owner’s signature.
-- Zachary J. Riley, 26, of Hartford, pleaded not guilty to felony possession of heroin.
According to the affidavit, Riley’s vehicle was stopped along I-91 on July 3, after Vermont State Police Trooper Richard Slusser observed him driving 60 mph in a 50 mph construction zone.
During the investigation, Slusser stated that he talked to the two passengers and when he asked one of them to get out of the vehicle, he saw the man had been sitting on a hypodermic needle.
After searching Riley’s vehicle, Slusser stated 86 bags of heroin, weighing approximately 2.74 grams, were discovered.
If convicted, Riley faces up to five years behind bars and up to a $100,000 fine.
-- A 21-year-old Brattleboro man pleaded not guilty to two separate misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct on Aug. 7.
According to the affidavits, on July 1, Stephen E. Arsenault was involved in two incidents where he allegedly threatened and punched a man he claimed owed him money. The next day he got into a shouting match with a woman and threatened her with a metal pipe and screwdriver. Even with police intervening, Arsenault continued his threats of assaulting her.
Arsenault is facing up to six months and fines of up to $500 for each of the disorderly conduct charges if he’s convicted.
-- A Brattleboro man is facing up to five years in jail after he allegedly drove drunk and crashed his vehicle causing more than $3,000 worth of damages.
Last month, 28-year-old Darrell C. Graves pleaded not guilty to a second offense of driving under the influence, leaving the scene of a crash and careless or negligent vehicle operation.
According to the affidavit, police found Graves behind the wheel of his car along Grove Street after receiving a report of a motor vehicle accident.
When police spoke with Graves, they observed he was "very unsteady on his feet and his eyes were watery and red."
Graves declined field sobriety exercises but submitted a preliminary breath sample that showed his blood alcohol content at .223, more than three times the legal limit.
Allegedly Graves had driven into a parked car and hadn’t reported it.
If convicted of the three misdemeanor charges, Graves is also facing fines up to $4,500.
If you’ve appeared in a court log, and the case is later settled or charges dismissed, and you would like a follow-up to appear in print, please contact the Reformer Newsroom at 802-254-2311 ext. 7.
