ROCKLAND – The following comprises three recent arraignments for cases in Knox County Court with bail amounts set by the state of $10,000 to $25,000. The alleged charges for the three defendants include manslaughter, drug trafficking and aggravated assault and criminal threatening. Two of the defendants remain in jail and the third posted bail after his hearing.

Driver charged with manslaughter in fatal February Washington crash

A New Hampshire man has been arrested for manslaughter for a February two-vehicle fatal crash in Washington on Route 17. Joshua Theriault-Patten, 37, of Newcastle, died from his injuries at the hospital.  

Noah McGrath, 27, of Nashua, N.H., was transported to the Knox County Jail June 19 after police arrested him in New Hampshire after an arrest warrant was issued by the state for his arrest on April 15.

McGrath made his initial appearance in court June 20 before Justice Jeffrey Helm on the charges of manslaughter and aggravated criminal operating under the influence. His bail was set at $15,000, which was posted.

McGrath was ordered by the state to surrender his passport. He will also be on supervised release.

According to the police affidavit filed in Knox County Court, McGrath’s blood level was 0.257 when a blood test was taken at Pen Bay Medical Center following the crash. McGrath sustained minor injuries.

Per Maine law, a person is guilty of OUI (operating under the influence) with a BAC (blood alcohol concentration level) of 0.08 or more.

The State Police reconstruction report indicated that McGrath’s operation of his vehicle on the evening of Feb. 9 caused the crash that killed Theriault-Patten.

When police arrived at the scene, they questioned McGrath after smelling alcohol in his breath, and he was unable to answer where he was traveling to or where he had come from, according to the court document.

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office obtained an arrest warrant from the state April 15 and they located and arrested McGrath in New Hampshire two months later.

McGrath will appear in court again on Aug. 7.

Massachusetts man arrested for drug trafficking in Rockland

Rockland Police arrested a Lawrence, Mass., man June 25 on drug trafficking charges during a routine traffic stop.

Jose Henriquez-Paulino, 24, was arrested and charged with aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs and unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs.

He made his initial court appearance in Knox County Court Friday afternoon, June 27, and remains at the Knox County Jail on $10,000 cash bail with no third party bail allowed.

Rockland Police said in a news release on Facebook that around 2 p.m. on June 25 while conducting pro-active traffic enforcement, they stopped a vehicle on Old County Road. During the stop, officers developed reason to suspect the occupants were involved in the use and sale of illicit narcotics.

Through their investigation, officers seized over 55 grams of illicit drugs, including cocaine, crack cocaine and fentanyl. Officers also located evidence of drug sales and trafficking and firearms, the release said.

The suspect will appear in court again on Aug. 21 for a dispositional conference. He will need a Spanish interpreter for the hearing, according to the court document.

Rockland man accused of assaulting woman

A Rockland man remains in jail on $25,000 cash bail as of June 30 for allegedly assaulting a woman on June 22 on Summer Street in Rockland.

Kiune McLain, 28, was arrested by Rockland Police for aggravated assault, Class B felony, criminal threatening, refusing to submit to arrest, criminal restraint, and criminal mischief for the assault.

Police said that McLain assaulted a female who was questioning him about his relationship with a minor female. The woman reported to police that during the assault he stomped on her face at least twice and strangled her with his hands. She was transported to Pen Bay Medical Center for treatment including several other injuries, according to the police affidavit filed in court.

McLain fled the scene on June 22 when police arrived and they later located and arrested him on the evening of June 24, police said. He was arrested while police were investigating a report of underage drinking at a location in Rockland's south end, which has been the subject of multiple law enforcement complaints, according to police.  

He made his initial appearance in Knox County Court on June 25 before Judge Eric Walker. He is being held at the Knox County Jail in Rockland.

Reach Sarah Shepherd at news@penbaypilot.com