Facing similar charges for home invasion, assault in Rockport three months later

Camden man charged with Maple Street home invasion, assault last August

Mon, 02/23/2015 - 8:45pm

    ROCKLAND — During what was to have been Eli Kemberling's first appearance Monday afternoon in Knox County Superior Court after a judge revoked his bail last November, the court heard that Kemberling was also being charged with crimes similar to the ones that found him in jail last fall.

    Kemberling, 22, of Camden, was arrested by Rockport Police early in the morning on Nov. 9, 2014. Around 1:15 a.m. that Sunday, a Rockport homeowner confronted a man who had broken into his residence and assaulted his wife, who was upstairs asleep. The homeowner tackled the male as he ran down the stairs carrying a large knife, threw him on the ground and hit him until the male identified himself to the husband as someone he knew.

    In that incident, Kemberling is accused of sneaking past the husband as he slept on a first floor sofa and making his way to a bedroom upstairs. The wife told police that she was awakened by a male touching her, and at first thought it was her husband. She then said she felt her face being covered by a hand and when she opened her eyes, she saw a male wearing a mask and cried out for help.

    After being tackled by the husband and made to site and wait for police, Kemberling at first told the husband he broke in looking for alcohol, according to a court document. Later, when Kemberling was in custody in handcuffs and the husband saw the knife again, he asked Kemberling what he was intending to do that night.

    "Kemberling looked at [the husband] and said 'To do damage.' When Kemberling said this he was smiling," said Rockport Police officer Robbie Shaw in the document.

    It was also noted at the time that Kemberling smelled of alcohol, and after being transported to Knox County Jail in Rockland, the court document said his breath alcohol content was measured at .17 percent.

    In court Monday, it was learned that Kemberling had been charged with burglary, aggravated trespassing and assault stemming from a similar incident Aug. 3 in Camden.

    Camden police were called to a residence on Maple Street around 6 a.m. that Sunday. Rockport police and a State Police K-9 unit, Trooper Erich Verhille and his dog, Clint, also responded and helped search for a man who a female victim said was standing over her when she was woken up. The male fled the house, and police were unable to find him that morning.

    In court Monday, Kemberling's attorney, Eric Morse, said he was asking for a general continuance of the case for 60 days, which the judge approved.

    Kemberling remains held without bail concurrent to the November charges.

    After the hearing, Morse said he would be filling a motion to move the Knox County cases to Kennebec County, where all four could be hear together.

    Kemberling is facing two previous misdemeanor charges in Lincoln County, one of them for theft and the other for operating under the influence. He was on bail for those charges when he was arrested in Rockport in November.

    Related links:

    Rockland judge revokes bail for Camden man charged with burglary, sex crime

    Rockport police charge Camden man with burglary, unlawful sexual contact

    Camden police searching for home invasion suspect