A grand jury has indicted a Waterville man who allegedly fired more than a dozen gunshots at a woman as she and another person drove away in a car on attempted murder and several other charges.
Maurice A. Watkins-Cundiff, 30, was indicted this month by a Kennebec County grand jury on eight charges, the most serious attempted murder.
On April 10, Watkins-Cundiff allegedly argued with a woman that state prosecutors described as his “intimate partner,” punched her in the face, and pointed a gun at her. He then allegedly fired shots at the victim as she and another person drove away. Prosecutors said police officers found 13 bullet casings and a “trail of car fluids,” near the scene, indicating the car had been struck.
Police said Watkins-Cundiff left the scene with his headlights off and traveled to Head of Falls in Waterville, where officers found and arrested him.
Waterville Deputy Police Chief William L. Bonney said at the time of Watkins-Cundiff’s arrest that several rounds hit the car as it fled the scene and that Watkins-Cundiff tried to pursue the vehicle but was unsuccessful.
The indictment alleges Watkins-Cundiff “did intentionally attempt to cause the death of (the victim) by firing a loaded firearm at her.”
Watkins-Cundiff was initially indicted on the attempted murder charge and others in June. But on Dec. 22 a new grand jury handed up a superseding indictment, which includes the same attempted murder charge, but changed some of the other charges.
Maeghan Maloney, district attorney for Kennebec and Somerset counties, said superseding indictments replace a previous indictment and are filed when further investigation uncovers information that was not known at the time of the original indictment.
The new indictment includes new charges of attempted elevated aggravated assault, domestic violence reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. It drops a charge of reckless conduct with a firearm alleged in the first indictment.
The possession of a firearm by a prohibited person charge alleges Watkins-Cundiff was convicted or found not criminally responsible by reason of insanity of an assault and battery with a dangerous weapon dating to 2014 in Massachusetts, which made it illegal for him to possess a firearm.
He is also indicted on charges of domestic violence criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, domestic violence assault, aggravated criminal mischief, and criminal operating under the influence.
Watkins-Cundiff pleaded not guilty to the charges against him Thursday, Maloney said.
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