AUGUSTA — A Wayne man faces assault and arson charges after a weekend incident in which he allegedly choked a woman, bit her breast and set her bedroom door ablaze.

Jason L. Hewett, 26, was being held in lieu of $10,000 cash bail Monday in Kennebec County’s jail on charges of arson, unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and possessing a usable amount of marijuana. He made his initial court appearance by video link from the jail.

According to an affidavit by Kennebec County Sheriff’s Deputy David Bucknam, Hewett, who also goes by the names Jason Goucher and Jason Graves, argued with a woman as they returned from a Winthrop bar to a residence in Wayne on Friday night. When they got home, the affidavit says, the woman said Hewett choked her and smashed her head into a dresser, and she became unconscious.

When she awoke, Hewett’s father was wiping blood from her face and he put her to bed, she told the officer. Later, she said the door to her bedroom was ablaze, and Hewett’s father was trying to extinguish the fire, Bucknam’s affidavit says.

The woman was taken to a Farmington hospital, where she was treated for injuries including a puncture wound that required stitches; scrapes and scratches on her neck, throat, arms and legs; and a bite mark over a tattoo that reads “Jason” on her left breast.

Authorities learned the whereabouts of the suspect at the American Legion hall in Winthrop, and pursued him there. According to Bucknam’s affidavit, Hewett fled but was caught in woods outside the hall; he denied assaulting the woman or setting the fire.

Hewett is also accused of violating conditions of release in connection with charges in Knox County. He was free on bail in connection with charges stemming from a June 18 traffic stop in Owls Head. At that time, he was charged with providing a false name and date of birth, operating after revocation and operating under the influence.


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