Louisville Man Charged With Smashing Into Two Vehicles

MASSENA - A Louisville man has been charged with three felony counts of criminal mischief after he allegedly slammed his truck into the rear of a vehicle belonging to a man now seeing his estranged wife.

That vehicle was slammed through the garage, striking a parked 1987 Chevrolet Corvette and pushed that vehicle through the rear wall of the garage.

Massena Village Policed charged Martin E. Maxwell, 51, of 391 Willard Road, Massena, with three counts of third-degree criminal mischief, resisting arrest and leaving the scene of a property damage accident following an incident at 9:10 p.m. Saturday at 86 1/2 Cook St.. Maxwell was taken into custody approximately two hours later at Coaches Corner.

Police allege Maxwell rammed into an unoccupied 2005 Ford 500 being operated by Michael C. Bicknell, 51, of Canton, The Bicknell vehicle was slammed into the garage and struck a Corvette registered to Frederick C. Ruddy, 63, of Waddington. The incidents took place at the Richard H. Flynn residence on Cook Street. Police said there was significant damage to the front and rear of the garage.

Police said they located Mr. Maxwell's vehicle with front end damage parked near Common Grounds. They found Mr. Maxwell and said he refused their request to leave the establishment. Police said they had to physically restrain Mr. Maxwell inside the restaurant so they could place handcuffs on him. They said he also resisted when they attempted to place him in the back seat of a patrol vehicle.

Maxwell was arraigned by Massena Village Justice Eric J. Gustafson and sent to the St. Lawrence County Correctional Facility with bail set at $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond. He posted bail at the county jail.

Mr. Bicknell, in a statement he provided police, said he had met Joy L. Maxwell, Mr. Maxwell's estranged wife at 86 1/2 Cook St., and they left to see a movie and go to the casino. He said Ms. Maxwell received a phone call at approximately 9:30 p.m. informing her Mr. Bicknell's vehicle had been damaged.

"While we were at the casino, I got a call from my sister, Judy Flynn. Judy told me that there was a problem at the house, and the police were there," she noted in the statement she signed for police.

She told police she and Mr. Maxwell had been married for 32 years and that she had left the marital residence in May 2010. She said her estranged husband had recently sent her an email seeking the identity of the man she was dating.

"When I saw this, the only person I thought of that would have done this is Martin. He has been known to go off the deep end when he gets mad, and I do not know any other person that would have done anything like this or have the motive to," Ms. Maxwell told police.

Mr. Maxwell told police he had played in the Massena Cup Tournament and then spent the rest of his day socializing at The Open Net and later at Coaches Corner, according to court documents. He denied ramming Mr. Bicknell's vehicle and repeatedly asked the police officer if they had any proof he had been driving the truck.