Police: Man Hides in Attic After Argument With Girlfriend

Police said they had to climb into a residential attic Tuesday night to capture a man hiding after allegedly being involved in a violent argument with his girlfriend.

Officers arrived at a two-story apartment house on West Avenue after receiving a 911 call at 10:54 p.m. reporting a disturbance in progress.

Police spokeswoman Sgt. Lisa Cotto said after the officers knocked on the door of a second-floor, a woman in tears and disheveled opened it and told officers her boyfriend, Brandon Lee, had arrived at her apartment “acting crazy” and that he became enraged and grabbed her throat.

She also alleged he restrained her from leaving, Cotto said.

Police searched the apartment and requested a dog be brought to the scene. After K-9 Officer Garrett Kruger’s dog, Kimbo, searched the rooms, the officers found a doorway leading to the attic was open.

Cotto said they repeatedly shouted to Lee to come out, warning him he could be bitten if Kimbo were sent in to locate him.

Lee didn’t respond, so police had the fire department bring them a ladder.

Two officers climbed into the attic and allegedly found Lee on the far end of the structure hidden beneath insulation. Cotto said Lee did not respond to the officers’ orders to get up, so they physically grabbed him, put him in handcuffs, and forced him out of the attic.

Cotto said Lee told the officers he had come home after 16 hours at work and got into an argument with his girlfriend about a personal matter. He allegedly said no violence had occurred, and he only restrained her because he thought she was going to jump out a window.

He allegedly said he was hiding because he had an outstanding arrest warrant.

The officers reported seeing no visible injuries on the woman, but called
paramedics to have her examined.

Lee, 31, of 4 Fairfield Ave., was charged with second-degree strangulation, third-degree assault, second-degree unlawful restraint, and second-degree breach of peace.

He was held on $25,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

Cotto said the warrant for Lee was the result of an incident on Jan. 19, when he entered the Bow Tie Cinemas at 64 North Main St. intoxicated.

He allegedly told the theater manager his sister worked there and that he wanted to talk to her because they had an argument before she came to work.

The manager ordered him to leave, which he did.

After officers spoke with the manager, they went to Lee’s Fairfield Avenue apartment, knocked on the door and ordered him to open it. They said although they could see through a window he was inside, he refused to answer the door and turned off the lights in his apartment.

The officers then obtained a warrant for his arrest.

The warrant charged him with second-degree breach of peace. It had a court set bond of $10,000, and Lee was scheduled to appear in court Feb. 7.