Bangor woman to serve one year in prison for intentionally running man over

Fri, 05/26/2017 - 7:30pm

    BELFAST — A Bangor woman appeared in Waldo County Unified Court on May 23 and was sentenced to seven years in prison, with all but one year suspended, as a result of pleading guilty to intentionally running a man over during a 2016 domestic assault.

    In a plea deal, Katherine A. Harriman, 29, was convicted of three of five charges brought against her following the violent Oct. 1, incident. Those charges include elevated aggravated assault, reckless conduct and criminal mischief. Domestic violence assault and aggravated driving to endanger charges were dismissed as part of the plea.

    In addition to spending one year in prison for elevated aggravated assault, Harriman will be on probation for four years and must pay $10,137.94 restitution.

    She was sentenced to six months in jail for reckless conduct, and four months in jail for criminal mischief, to be served concurrent.

    Harriman came to the attention of law enforcement after Waldo County Communications received a report of a man having been intentionally run over outside of a private residence in Searsport.

    Searsport Police Chief Richard Lahaye Jr. responded to the call, learning more information while en route. A dispatcher advised him that the woman involved had been identified as Harriman, and that she had fled the scene in her vehicle in an unknown direction. Lahaye advised other Waldo County law enforcement to be on the lookout for Harriman’s vehicle.

    Upon arrival on the scene, Lahaye was met with the victim’s son. According to an affidavit, the victim was sitting in the dirt near the end of the driveway with a makeshift tourniquet around his left calf. Upon closer inspection Lahaye saw what appeared to be bone protruding from the inner part of the victim’s ankle area.

    Though obviously in serious distress, the victim was able to tell Lahaye about the events leading up to the incident. He reportedly stated that he had been arguing with Harriman in his residence when she attempted to strike him in the face. The victim said he brought his arm up to block her, which resulted in her biting into the muscle of his upper arm, according to court documents.

    The victim stated that Harriman left the residence in her vehicle, which the victim followed until the end of his driveway. It was at this point the victim saw his child biking toward him, who told him that Harriman had tried to run him off the road. The child told Lahaye that he had jumped off of his bicycle to avoid the vehicle, landing in a ditch.

    Harriman then tried to hit the victim’s vehicle, at which point he stepped out and told her to stop. Instead Harriman reportedly shouted she would kill him before hitting and running him over.

    The victim was transported to Waldo County General Hospital for medical treatment by Searsport Ambulance, where he was later interviewed again by Lahaye. After getting the victim’s statement Lahaye left the hospital, only to be called back a short time later at the victim’s request.

    According to court documents, Harriman was reportedly messaging the victim via social media. Lahaye learned she had lost her phone at a casino and was likely communicating via computer, and he asked the victim to alert him if he was able to get Harriman’s location.

    Harriman was arrested later the same evening by Bangor Police and transported to Penobscot County Jail.

    The following day Lahaye met with the victim again, where he learned that the victim’s tibia had been broken in the incident, which was the bone that had been protruding from his inner heel.


    Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com