BELFAST — A Belfast woman is facing additional charges after a district attorney’s review of police dash-cam footage of the woman’s outburst at a Belfast credit union Feb. 22. 

Deanna Lenfast, 34, was arrested last weekend after tellers at a city credit union called Belfast Police last Saturday morning, when Lenfest became “irate” while waiting for the drive-thru window to open, according to Belfast Police Chief Mike McFadden. Lenfest was second in line in her car for service at the drive-through, but grew impatient while waiting for them to open at 9 a.m. When the window opened, the customer ahead of Lenfest began talking with the teller, said McFadden, but instead of waiting her turn, Lenfest got out and walked between the first customer’s vehicle and the teller’s window.

McFadden said Lenfest began banging on the window and yelling threats at the teller.

“She was basically making a huge scene,” said McFadden. Lenfest then went to the front door of the business, which were still locked as only the drive-thru had opened. Lenfest then allegedly began yanking and banging on the doors, startling the staff inside. It was then that credit union employees called Belfast Police.

By the time the responding officer arrived, Lenfest had left the scene, however the tellers knew her and were able to give the officer a name, said McFadden.

Lenfest returned to the credit union a short time later, still “yelling and screaming, and making a nuisance of herself,” said McFadden, which prompted a second call to Belfast Police. This time Lenfest’s was still in the drive-thru when officer Eric Kelley arrived, and he pulled directly in front of Lenfest’s vehicle, blocking her exit. 

“She got back into her car quickly,” said McFadden, and Lenfest refused the officer’s directions for her to exit the vehicle. “[The officer] started walking around her vehicle toward the driver’s side and as he was moving around the front of her vehicle she put the car in gear and started moving forward.”

Fortunately Kelley was able to maneuver out of the way and she continued by him in her car — then her reverse lights came on. 

“That was a tense moment,” said McFadden, but Lenfest put the vehicle back in drive and fled the scene, striking Kelley’s cruiser as she exited the parking lot. 

Lenfest was located a short time later downtown and had to be pulled from the car, all the while “[fighting] viciously” against her arrest, according to McFadden. It was during the arrest that officers realized a child, her toddler son, was in a car-seat in the back of the vehicle. With Lenfest under arrest, the child’s grandmother picked the boy up from the scene, McFadden said. 

At the time of her arrest Saturday, Lenfest was charged with disorderly conduct, criminal mischief, driving to endanger and refusing to submit to arrest or detention. After a review of Kelley’s police cruiser dashboard camera, officials with the Waldo County District Attorney’s Office decided to also charge Lenfest with endangering the welfare of a child and reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon. Lenfest has since been released from custody. 

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com