AUGUSTA — An Augusta man is facing charges after allegedly beating his girlfriend repeatedly over three days while holding her captive inside their Water Street apartment.
Robert Allen Horr, 50, was arrested Tuesday night and charged with kidnapping, domestic violence terrorizing and aggravated assault. Horr also was issued a warrant revoking his probation.
Horr made his initial appearance Wednesday via video in Waterville District Court. The kidnapping charge was dropped and a charge of criminal restraint added, according to officials at the Kennebec County jail, where Horr was being held in lieu of $50,000 cash bail.
The victim, a 58-year-old woman who shared an apartment with Horr at 373 Water St., told police Horr held her against her will over a three-day period, during which time she said he repeatedly beat her, inflicting injuries that included a broken arm.
The victim said she escaped by pretending to go to the bathroom when Horr fell asleep, Augusta police Officer Nathan Walker wrote in an affidavit filed in Kennebec County Superior Court. “(The victim) stated that she quietly left the apartment and knocked on a neighbor’s door and called for an ambulance,” Walker said.
Walker interviewed the woman around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at MaineGeneral Medical Center’s emergency room. He wrote in his affidavit that he “immediately noticed” that the victim’s right arm was black and blue and very swollen. The doctors confirmed the arm was broken. The woman also had “multiple bruises” on her chest, arms, back, legs, face and elsewhere, Walker said.
The woman told Walker that Horr had repeatedly assaulted her since Sunday.
“(The victim) said Robert prevented her from leaving their apartment … by keeping her away from the windows and doors and telling her to stay in a back bedroom,” Walker wrote. “(The victim) stated that she was only allowed to leave the bedroom when she had to use the bathroom.”
The woman told police she and Horr have been in a relationship for six months, during which time he’s repeatedly abused her.
“(The victim) stated that on Sunday … she attempted to make something to eat when Robert got angry and grabbed her by the right arm and twisted,” Walker wrote. “(The victim) stated that she heard and felt a crunch in her wrist.”
Horr continued to punch and kick her, at one point hitting in the face so hard that it broke her false teeth, Walker said.
Horr drank a gallon of coffee brandy Monday and kicked and punched the woman “all over her body,” Walker wrote. Horr continued to hold the woman inside the apartment and prevented her from leaving the back bedroom or going near a window or door.
“(The victim) stated that Robert kicked her while she was sitting on the floor,” Walker wrote. “She tried to protect herself by curling up into a fetal position.”
Horr told the woman on Tuesday that he was going to poke out her eyes and feed them to her, Walker wrote. “I observed cuts that appeared to be fingernail marks around (the victim’s) eyes,” Walker wrote.
Horr later ordered the woman to take a nap. She pretended to be asleep, Walker wrote, as Horr used her legs to snuff out his cigarettes.
“I did observe marks on her legs and left arm that appeared to be burns,” Walker wrote.
The woman escaped later that day as Horr slept.
The woman told Walker that Horr kept her food stamp card in a cigarette pack that he keeps in his pants, Walker wrote.
“I found that Robert did have a cigarette pack in (the) left front pocket of his pants,” Walker wrote. “I asked Robert what was inside the cigarette pack. Robert stated that he had his girlfriend’s food stamp card inside it.”
Horr confirmed the victim was his girlfriend.
When questioned at the police station, Horr told Walker that he and victim had been drinking all weekend. Horr said he often blacked out when he drank.
“When I asked Robert how (the victim) got her injuries he advised me again that he blacked out, but he probably gave her the injuries,” Walker wrote. “Robert stated that he did not know if he restricted (the victim’s) movement because he blacked out and could not remember.”
Records indicate Horr was indicted by a grand jury in April 2003 on eight counts, including burglary, theft and criminal mischief connected to a Sept. 29, 2002, incident at the Waterville Social Club.
The disposition of that case — and whether it led to any sentence for which Horr was serving probation at the time of his recent arrest — was unclear Wednesday.
Craig Crosby — 621-5642
ccrosby@centralmaine.com
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