A man from Lovell, who police say was naked when he drove a dump truck into a home in South Berwick, then picked a fight with the resident, now faces several charges.
Eli T. Hutchins, 24, was arrested by South Berwick police Wednesday night and charged with driving under the influence of drugs, two counts of assault and aggravated criminal mischief, a felony.
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Police said he drove his 1994 Ford one-ton dump truck over several lawns and into the front of the home at 21 Woodland Hills.
Hutchins’ attorney, Michael Whipple, said the crash was an accident. He said Hutchins was unfamiliar with the truck, which he had purchased recently, and his insurance will cover repairs to the home.
“We’re all terribly sorry for this unfortunate accident and will do everything we can to help (the residents of 21 Woodland Hills) through this time,” Whipple said.
He said his client was naked because he was taking a shower when he had a “perceived emergency,” which led him to leave suddenly. He would not say which, if any, substances Hutchins had taken.
Hutchins had been at a party in another unit in the Woodland Hills condominium complex and had a confrontation with a close friend there before getting behind the wheel of the truck just before 11 p.m. That confrontation led to one of the assault charges, police said.
Hutchins’ truck smashed a gaping hole through an exterior wall of the single-story apartment at 21 Woodland Hills, crashing through the kitchen. The resident and his 7-year-old son were sleeping in a nearby bedroom.
“The front of the truck came to rest less than 15 feet from the bed,” said South Berwick Police Chief Dana Lajoie. “It went through the kitchen and damaged the bedroom wall.”
Police said Hutchins immediately attacked the resident, whose name was not released. The resident responded by hitting Hutchins twice on the head with a hammer, police said.
Hutchins was taken to York Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, then released to be taken to the York County Jail. He was released on $1,000 bail and is scheduled for a court date in July.
The apartment was badly damaged and the truck was a complete loss, Lajoie said.
He said police are awaiting test results to determine what substance, if any, Hutchins had taken.
Staff Writer David Hench can be contacted at 791-6327 or at:
dhench@pressherald.com
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