Danvers Fire Chief Arrested For Allegedly Abusing Estranged Wife
GROVELAND (CBS) - The Danvers fire chief was arrested early Wednesday morning after he allegedly abused his estranged wife in Groveland.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Mark Katic reports.
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Kevin Farrell, 49, was arrested at around 2 a.m. and charged with domestic assault and battery and intimidation of a witness.
At Farrell's arraignment Wednesday, the prosecutor said an accidental text message led him to go to his estranged wife's home on Center Street three times Tuesday night.
"(Farrell's estranged wife) stated he then took her cell phone and left the house so she could not contact anyone," said Assistant District Attorney Ashlee Logan.
Farrell then allegedly returned to his estranged wife's home at 11 p.m.
"He grabbed her wrists in a forceful manner and began hitting himself in the face with her hand and stated 'I'm going to tell everyone you hit me,'" said Logan.
He came back a third time around midnight.
"She stated she was sleeping when he came in screaming 'You don't listen to me,' lifted the mattress that she was sleeping on, flipped it over, throwing her onto the floor," said Logan.
Before he left the home, Farrell allegedly said, "I won't be alive in the morning."
Farrell's daughter then called police from the woman's home to report the incident, and told officers that her father left the scene in a red vehicle with blue fire department license plates.
Police tracked down Farrell after pinging his estranged wife's cell phone to his apartment on Garrison Street. Farrell was arrested without incident.
Farrell told police he had a couple of beers at a local bar, but no field sobriety test was conducted.
After he was arrested, Farrell was taken to a local hospital for an unspecified medical issue.
Farrell, who has allegedly made suicidal threats in the past, was ordered held pending a dangerousness hearing on Friday.
Police in Groveland said there have been domestic issues in past involving Farrell.
