Poland man charged after hour-long stand-off

02-45-ECS-Poland Stand-off

by E.C. Shanor

POLAND - A Poland man held off police for about an hour, Monday evening, after officers responded to a report of domestic strife at his home.

Androscoggin County Sheriff's Sergeant Rielly Bryant said November 9, that sheriff's deputies, Mechanic Falls police and state troopers responded to a complaint of a domestic dispute in progress at a home near the intersection of Bakerstown Road (Route 11) and White Oak Road in Poland. Sergeant Bryant said previous calls to investigate domestic violence led the responders to go in a somewhat larger-than-usual number.

"We'd been there before, but not made an arrest," the sergeant said.

The officers met the a woman and her three children, ages 8, 10 and 12, outside and observed evidence that three of them had been assaulted. This, they interpreted as sufficient cause to charge Aaron Holbrook, 37, of Poland, with domestic assault. However, Holbrook had locked himself in the house and refused to come out or to talk to the police either over the phone or in person for about 20 minutes.

Finally, Bryant said, Holbrook called his wife on her cell phone, which she handed over to police, who eventually talked him into surrendering. Although there was a firearm in the house, the sergeant said Holbrook made no attempt to use it or threaten to use it during the incident. Holbrook had been consuming alcohol, Bryant said.

Holbrook was released from the Androscoggin County Jail at 6 a.m., after his father posted $600 cash bail for him. He is not to use nor possess firearms or other dangerous weapons, nor may he use or possess alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs. Contact with the victims is strictly prohibited. He is charged with three counts of domestic assault and with failure to submit to arrest.