FARMINGTON — A Kennebunk man accused of striking and trying to strangle a woman while the two were on a wilderness camping trip in August in northern Franklin County was indicted Wednesday by a grand jury.
Daniel A. Kelley, 42, was indicted on a felony charge of aggravated assault in the Aug. 9 incident at the Stephen Phillips Memorial Preserve on Mooselookmeguntic Lake in Rangeley Plantation.
The charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and up to a $20,000 fine.
The 48-year-old southern Maine woman told Kennebunk police that the two had taken a 20-minute boat ride to a remote campsite, where they were drinking and had a disagreement, Franklin County Lt. David Rackliffe said in August.
The woman told police Kelley struck her and tried to strangle her, he had said.
As the woman fought him off, her arm was injured, Rackliffe said.
The woman told police that at one point, Kelley took out a knife and threatened her. She was able to get the knife away and threw it in the water, Rackliffe said.
He slept in the boat and she went into the tent, staying awake all night, he said.
She rode back to Kennebunk with Kelley and when they arrived at their destination, he got out of the vehicle and she locked herself in it and called police, he said.
Kennebunk police interviewed the woman and Kelley and passed the information on to Franklin County Sheriff’s Department.
Franklin County Cpl. Nate Reid took the information collected by Kennebunk police and had an arrest warrant issued for Kelley.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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