AUGUSTA — Jason Boucher, wanted as a suspect in a Saturday night stabbing, was arrested after an approximately hour-long standoff Monday night in the same neighborhood the stabbing took place.
Boucher, 34, of Augusta, was charged with elevated aggravated assault, Augusta Police Deputy Chief Jared Mills said earlier Monday.
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Monday night, starting around 7:30 p.m., police, acting on a tip, blocked off streets in the area of an east side apartment building at 34 Cedar St., including Middle Street, as they closed in on Boucher.
Police converged on Boucher’s apartment, but he didn’t come to the door. Lt. Christopher Massey said police spoke to Boucher through the apartment door, but he did not respond.
An Augusta Police officer, with a rifle on his shoulder, directed tenants out of the building and across the street, evacuating about a dozen tenants from the building
Around 8 p.m., Boucher came out of the locked apartment and was arrested.
“He opened up the door and walked out,” Massey said.
Boucher did not struggle with police as he was arrested and placed on a stretcher and put into an ambulance.
Massey said Boucher had lacerations on his arms. He said Boucher would be taken to MaineGeneral Medical Center in north Augusta to be checked out and then to Kennebec County jail.
Massey said the state police tactical team was called and was on the way to the scene when Boucher surrendered, so they were called off.
Boucher’s apartment on Cedar Street is a few blocks from Hospital Street, where Saturday’s stabbing took place.
Police allege Boucher stabbed a 42-year-old Sidney man whom police haven’t identified several times in the neck, chest and face.
Boucher had been sought since Saturday night when officers were called to the emergency room at MaineGeneral Medical Center after the victim, who reportedly had several stabs wounds, had been driven to the hospital in a private vehicle shortly before midnight, police said.
Augusta Police Sgt. Vicente Morris said Sunday that the stabbing occurred in the Hospital Street area of the city, but he did not want to give the precise location.
He said a bystander drove the victim to the hospital.
Morris said the stabbing was a targeted attack on a specific individual. The victim underwent surgery and was recovering from his wounds on Sunday.
Massey said police had a search warrant for Boucher’s apartment and were looking for evidence related to the stabbing.
Craig Crosby — 621-5642
Twitter: @CraigCrosby4
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