Lawrence man charged with sexual assault of a child under 14
LEOMINSTER » A Lawrence man was in District Court on Wednesday for a hearing on a single charge of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, according to police and court documents.
On May 8, 2020, police were alerted that a child had allegedly been touched in a sexual manner in December 2019 by Nicholas Uberia, 40, of 116 Oxford St., according to police.
The victim’s guardian told police the victim had not been acting like herself and that she had told a family member about the December 2019 incident, police said.
The victim’s guardian told police the child
told her that Uberia had entered the victim’s bedroom and touched her inappropriately, was told to stop by the victim, police said. Police said the victim said Uberia didn’t stop and then told her not to tell anyone.
As a result, Uberia was charged with one count of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, according to court documents.
When arraigned in August 2020, Uberia pleaded not guilty, was released on personal recognizance and ordered to stay away from the victim and the family, according to court documents.
Since the original arraignment, Uberia has had several hearings continued, but will return to court on May 24 for a motion hearing, according to court documents.
Fitchburg man charged with third OUI offense in crash
LEOMINSTER » After responding to a car crash on Maple Avenue, the driver that police say caused the accident was arrested on a third offense of OUI, according to police and court documents.
When the officer arrived at the scene of the crash, he found a white GMC van and black Audi in the roadway with the driver of the van, who was not injured, standing outside. As the officer approached the Audi, he saw the driver, Christopher J. Heiser, 46, of 279 Clarendon St., in the driver’s seat and watched as he crawled out of the window because the door was damaged, the officer reported.
As soon as he got out of the sedan, the officer immediately smelled a strong odor of alcohol and could tell Heiser was
unsteady on his feet, the officer reported.
The officer asked Heiser what had happened and he responded that he was driving home, but there was no way he caused the accident, the officer reported.
When first responders arrived, they began asking Heiser a few questions, one of which was what day it was and Heiser said it was Thursday or Friday, when in fact it was Tuesday, the officer reported.
When asked what city he was in, Heiser responded, “well that’s a hard one,” the officer reported, adding that he was transported to an area hospital because of the possibility of having shattered glass in his eyes.
The officer then inspected the interior of the Audi and saw several alcohol nips, including one still partially full, the officer reported.
The officer then made
the determination that Heiser had been driving drunk and notified the hospital that he would need any blood drawn to be preserved to determine his approximate blood alcohol content at the time of the crash, the officer reported, adding that Heiser had two prior convictions for OUI.
As a result of the incident, Heiser was charged with third offense OUI, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and an open container violation, according to court documents. When arraigned on Wednesday, Heiser, who pleaded not guilty, was released on personal recognizance and ordered to return to court on May 24 for a pretrial hearing, according to court documents.
Sterling man charged with domestic abuse
LEOMINSTER » After police were called to a residence on a report a do
mestic assault on March 25, a Sterling man was summonsed to court on charges related to allegedly attacking his girlfriend, according to police and court documents.
When officers responded to a residence on Chapman Place, they spoke with the victim who told them her boyfriend, Joseph P. Tucci, 31, of 342 Redemption Road Trail, had started an argument with her for no apparent reason and was exhibiting erratic behavior that had frightened her, the reporting officer said.
The victim began recording the situation because of Tucci’s behavior and told him to leave, which Tucci refused, the victim told the officers.
When the victim told Tucci she was calling police for help, he ripped the phone from her hand and began deleting photos and video recordings she had of him, the officer reported.
At some point, the two
were in the apartment’s bathroom and when the victim attempted to get her phone from Tucci, he forcefully pushed her into a closet, leaving her with several scratches and cuts, the officer reported, adding the victim, who was taken to an area hospital, was recovering from a broken back and collarbone after a recent car crash.
As a result of the incident, Tucci was charged with domestic assault and battery, witness intimidation, and withholding evidence from a criminal investigation, according to court documents.
When arraigned earlier this week, Tucci, who pleaded not guilty, was ordered held in lieu of posting $1,000 cash bail. Tucci posted the bail and was ordered to stay away and have no contact with the victim and also to return to court on April 21 for a pretrial hearing, according to court documents.