BETHEL — A 52-year-old Bethel man was arrested Tuesday afternoon after police say he shoved a deputy who was responding to reports of a woman lying unresponsive along Annis Road.
According to Oxford County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jim Urquhart, deputies were assisting the Rumford Police Department who responded to a report of an unresponsive 43-year-old woman at 4:28 p.m. Tuesday when Eric Cole arrived in his vehicle. Cole confronted officers and pushed a deputy, according to Urquhart.
Cole was taken into custody with the help of someone from the Bethel Fire Department and was charged with operating under suspension, assault on an officer and obstructing government administration.
According to Urquhart, the female was transported to a local hospital and later released. The unidentified female was involved in a domestic violence incident earlier in the day, but Cole was not a suspect in that case.
Urquhart said investigators are looking into Cole’s claims that he is an Army officer.
“Cole was dressed in camouflage with Army insignia at the time of his arrest. Unfortunately for Cole, the Oxford County deputy that was assaulted at the scene is a member of the Army National Guard and noticed that Cole wasn’t wearing an appropriate uniform or insignia,” Urquhart wrote.
Cole was scheduled be arraigned Wednesday and remained at the Oxford County Jail. No officers were injured.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.