Police say an 8-year-old boy tried to protect his mother with a plastic baseball bat during a domestic assault at a southwestern Maine home.

Fryeburg police say the boy hit 42-year-old Kurtis Howard with the bat on Thursday during the assault. Authorities say Howard then took the bat from the boy and struck him with it before fleeing into the woods behind the apartment complex.

Police arrested Kurtis and charged him with domestic violence assault and aggravated domestic violence assault in connection with an attack on a 41-year-old woman and the boy.

Police responded to the Fryeburg Apartments at 10:30 a.m. after someone called 911 and then the line was disconnected, said Police Chief Joshua Potvin.

Police arrested Kurtis Howard as he tried to return to the apartment, Potvin said.

In addition to the assault charges, he was charged with obstructing report of a crime, and outstanding warrants charge him with drunken driving, domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening, criminal trespass, criminal mischief and violating bail conditions.

The aggravated domestic violence assault charge stemmed from Howard allegedly trying to strangle the woman, police said.

He was taken to Oxford County Jail in South Paris and held without bail pending a court appearance. It could not immediately be learned if he had lawyer.

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