ROCKLAND – The following comprises recent court activity in Knox County Court from Jan. 5-12, including the start of a jury trial for sexual assault and a man accused of strangling a woman and then making threats with a rifle. 

Jury trial begins for man accused of sexually assaulting child over several years

The trial of Stephen Ames, 35, who is accused of sexually assaulting a child numerous times over several years began Jan. 12 Knox County Court. 

Ames, who is now residing in Westbrook, was arrested in October 2023. He was indicted by a Knox County grand jury in Feb. 2024 for four counts of gross sexual assault, sexual misconduct with a child under 12, unlawful sexual contact, and tampering with a victim.

According to the court affidavit filed the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, the sexual assaults occurred multiple times a week from 2017 to 2020 in Thomaston. The victim’s grandmother reported the alleged sexual assaults to the Child Protective Intake Unit of the Department of Health and Human Services.

The girl said the abuse began when she was 6 years old and continued until she was 9, according to the court affidavit.

Man accused of assaulting woman and threatening to shoot her, dog

A Washington man remains in jail accused of strangling a woman and threatening to shoot her and her dog and then die by suicide by police.

Philip Rash, 64, was charged with domestic violence aggravated assault, domestic violence criminal threatening, and criminal mischief.

Rash made his initial court appearance Jan. 2 in Knox County Court where Judge Theodore Irwin set bail at $5,000. He will be on supervised release after he posts bail.

According to the affidavit filed in court by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, on Jan. 2 deputies responded to a residence in Washington after they received a report of a domestic assault. The victim told police that Rash tried to strangle her and then threatened to shoot her and her dog with a .22 caliber rifle. He fled from the residence and said he planned to be shot by the police. He also trashed the victim’s kitchen.

Suicide by police or cop is defined as a suicide method in which a suicidal individual deliberately behaves in a threatening manner with the intent to provoke a lethal response from a public safety or law enforcement officer to end their own life.

The victim was transported to MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital in Rockport for treatment. Police located Rash on Camden Street in Rockland.

Rash will appear in court again on March 5 for a dispositional conference.

Reach Sarah Shepherd at news@penbaypilot.com