ROCKLAND — A Cushing man and woman remain in Knox County Jail Monday night after they allegedly beat a man so severely with a bat that he was rendered unconscious and not breathing when deputies arrived on scene.

Dalton Cross, 21, and Amber St. Pierre, 19, both were arrested Nov. 9 at the home of a relative of Cross’s in Warren. Cross was charged with domestic violence aggravated assault, aggravated assault and criminal mischief. St. Pierre was charged with aggravated assault.

The couple appeared in Knox County District Court Monday before Judge Beth Dobson, with Assistant District Attorney Christopher Fernald representing the state. Defense attorney for the day was Marina Sideris.

Following their arraignment, Cross and St. Pierre were ordered held on $5,000 cash bail, with conditions they have no contact with each other or the victim and a witness, not possess any dangerous weapons, submit to searches for prohibited items and not enter the residence or place of employment of the individuals they are prohibited from being in contact with. If and when they make bail, they are both subject to supervised release and contracting with Maine Pretrial Services.

According to court documents, deputies were called to a home on Camden Road for a report of a domestic violence incident.

Seven minutes after being called to respond, Knox County Sheriff's deputies Paul Pinkham and John Hansen arrived on scene, and Cross and St. Pierre were observed standing over a 60-year-old unconscious man, lying on the ground and not breathing. According to the court document, Hansen was able to resuscitate the victim.

Prior to Sheriff's Detective Dwight Burtis' arrival a short time later, the victim and St. Pierre had been taken to Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport for treatment of injuries they sustained in the incident. St. Pierre's infant went with her, according to the court document. It was noted by the Sheriff’s Department Monday afternoon that the infant was in a car at the time of the incident.

Burtis interviewed the victim at the hospital and the witness, and was told that Cross and St. Pierre arrived at the residence unexpectedly at approximately 11 a.m. Sunday.

"Due to an argument in Thomaston yesterday [Saturday], in which threats were made between Mr. Cross and [the victim], the witness had told him to wait for a police escort before she would allow him to enter her home," said Burtis in the court document. "She told me that Mr. Cross, who used to live at [the Camden Street residence], had some clothes at the residence."

According to the court document, Cross allegedly called for a deputy to escort him, but became impatient and attempted to force his way into the residence. Unable to gain access to the home, Cross went to the rear of the property and began damaging the victim's pickup truck.

"The [victim] then exited the home to confront Mr. Cross and Ms. St. Pierre with a small wooden bat. Mr. Cross and Ms. St. Pierre threatened to assault [the victim] and a physical fight ensued," said Burtis in the court document. "[The victim] struck Mr. Cross in the side with the bat and the three of them fell to the ground."

The witness called 911 for help and then went outside to try to stop the fighting. According to the court document, Cross and St. Pierre were on top of the victim, punching and kicking him. St. Pierre was striking the victim in the head and neck with the bat while Cross was kicking him.

The witness interfered with St. Pierre by punching her in the head, and Cross continued the assault by kicking the victim while he was on the ground, according to the court document.

When she appeared in court Monday, St. Pierre 's left eye was swollen and bruised to near black in color. According to the court document, Cross had lived at the Camden Street home until recently, when he moved out to live in Cushing with St. Pierre and her infant child.

The court document said that neither Cross nor St. Pierre were authorized to be on the property Sunday, and that they both trespassed, refused to leave after being warned and then assaulted the man that lived there.

Cross and St. Pierre are both scheduled to appear in court again Jan. 28, 2015.

A press release issued Monday morning from Sheriff Donna Dennison said that the threatening incident in Thomaston Saturday had allegedly been over hunting, but documents filed in court and made available to the public after the arraignment Monday afternoon made no reference to a dispute about hunting as part of the incident.

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