Man accused of punching woman, taking her phone must undergo mental health evaluation

June 29--LAWRENCE -- A man who allegedly punched a woman, slammed her face into a door and took her cell phone, telling her she could not call the police, was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.

Wade Harris, 28, of 250 Salem St., was arrested at 10:48 p.m. Saturday and charged with assault and battery on a household member, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and witness intimidation.

Police were dispatched to 250 Salem St. to investigate a domestic disturbance in progress, according to a report filed by officer Adam Goujon. When he and other officers arrived, they found a 29-year-old woman who was crying and bleeding from her lip, Goujon wrote.

Her right eye was swollen and a little girl, also crying, was nearby, police said.

Harris claimed he bumped into the woman, she fell and split her lip, according to Goujon's report. The alleged victim, however, told a different story.

She told police Harris came back to their apartment "in a rage" because she confronted him about some phone calls he had had with another woman, Goujon wrote.

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He grabbed her by the back of the head and slammed her face into a door, police said. He then punched her in the face and took her cell phone, telling her she would not be calling the police, according to Goujon's report.

At Harris' arraignment Monday, Lawrence District Court Judge Lynn Rooney initially scheduled a detention hearing for Thursday. Assistant District Attorney Lindsay Nasson filed a motion to hold Harris without bail as a dangerous person, according to Carrie Kimball Monahan, spokeswoman for the Essex District Attorney's Office.

After consulting the alleged victim, however, the judge held the hearing Monday afternoon, Kimball Monahan said.

Rooney released Harris with the conditions that he submit to a mental health evaluation, stay away from the victim, not possess any weapons and comply with orders from the state Department of Children and Families.

Harris was released on his own recognizance and ordered to appear at a pretrial hearing Aug. 22.

Harris was represented by attorney John Brien of Andover. Brien did not respond to a telephone inquiry from The Eagle-Tribune.

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