SALISBURY — A New Haven man on Monday pleaded innocent in Addison Superior Court, criminal division, to felony unlawful restraint and two other misdemeanor charges stemming from an Oct. 19 incident at a Salisbury home.
In addition to the first-degree unlawful restraint charge, Benjamin J. Adams, 32, faces accusations of violating an abuse prevention order and a criminal count of driving with a suspended license.
Vermont State Police Trooper Justin Busby was dispatched to a home on Smead Road in Salisbury in response to a 911 call from a local woman on Sunday morning. The woman alleged that Adams had visited the house to spend time with their three children, when the pair got into an argument, according to court records.
“(The victim) had their three children outside playing in the yard, but Adams blocked the door and would not let (the victim) go outside with them,” Busby’s affidavit reads. “Adams started yelling in (the victim’s) face, swearing at her and calling her names. Adams continued to become angrier and more animated and yelling profanities as loud as he could.”
It was at this point that the woman feared he would “act violently against her,” according to court records.
“(The victim) tried to back away from Adams and he grabbed her arm and held her close to him, yelling and swearing the whole time,” according to Busby’s affidavit.
The alleged victim ultimately managed to get outside and Adams got into his vehicle and left, according to court records.
State police interviewed Adams at the New Haven barracks and ascertained that his driver’s license was under suspension and that he had five prior convictions for that offense.
Adams was initially lodged on $5,000 bail at the Chittenden County Correctional Center. He was ultimately released on court conditions, including that he not threaten or harass the alleged victim in the case.