AUGUSTA — A city man arrested after a brief standoff Monday night is charged with two counts in connection with a weekend stabbing and will appear in court Wednesday.
Jason S. Boucher, 34, was being held without bail Tuesday at the Kennebec County jail in Augusta. Boucher is charged with elevated aggravated assault and criminal attempt in connection with a Saturday night stabbing on Hospital Street.
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Boucher is expected to make his initial court appearance Wednesday.
Augusta police Lt. Christopher Massey said Tuesday morning that the victim, a 42-year-old Sidney man whom police have not publicly identified, remained hospitalized at MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta, where he is in critical but stable condition.
Massey said the stabbing appears to be related to domestic violence and is still under investigation, as is the relationship between Boucher and the victim.
Massey said it appears the men do not know each other directly, but the victim may be known to Boucher’s former girlfriend.
“The exact relationship of everyone involved is still under investigation,” Massey said.
Police had been searching for Boucher since just before midnight Saturday, when they were called to MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta because a man was in the emergency room with multiple stab wounds to his neck, chest and face. The victim arrived at the hospital in a private vehicle.
Boucher was arrested around 8:30 p.m. Monday after a roughly 30-minute standoff outside his 34 Cedar St. apartment, which is just a few blocks from where police say the stabbing occurred. They haven’t identified where specifically on Hospital Street the stabbing occurred.
Boucher, who had cuts on his arms when he surrendered to police, initially was taken to be checked at MaineGeneral before he was taken to jail.
Police, acting on a tip, converged on Boucher’s apartment building shortly after 7 p.m. Monday. Police blocked off streets in the area, including Middle Street, and evacuated about a dozen tenants from Boucher’s building.
Police tried to speak to Boucher through his apartment door, but he did not respond, Massey said.
Boucher came out of the locked apartment around 8 p.m. and was taken into custody without further incident, Massey said.
A state police tactical team was on its way to the scene but was called off when Boucher surrendered, Massey said.
Boucher’s criminal record extends back at least five years and includes driving offenses and assaults, according to Kennebec Journal archives.
Boucher was convicted of domestic violence assault in July 2011, as well as operating while license suspended or revoked and operating under the influence. He was sentenced to 364 days in jail with all but 60 days suspended and one year of probation in addition to a fine and license suspension.
Boucher was sentenced to five days in jail and fined for a criminal mischief conviction in August 2009, and he was fined and his license was suspended for an OUI conviction in August 2011.
Craig Crosby — 621-5642
Twitter: @CraigCrosby4
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