State police have arrested East Lyme’s police chief after a report of a domestic disturbance and the first selectman said he has been placed on administrative leave.
East Lyme Police Chief Michael Finkelstein, 53, has been charged with disorderly conduct and breach of peace in the second degree.
Local police responded to Finkelstein’s East Lyme home at 3:16 p.m. on Tuesday to investigate a report of a domestic disturbance.
There, they met with one of Finkelstein’s family members who told police that he had assaulted her the night before.
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She told them that she didn’t call immediately call 911 because Finkelstein told her that the police wouldn’t believe her and he would take steps to ensure she was unbelievable, the arrest warrant says.
As she reported the incident from the night before, she said they had gotten into a fight after Finkelstein had several alcoholic beverages -- at least three or four glasses of wine and some hard liquor -- through the night and she grabbed his work cell phone, then started looking through it, the arrest warrant says.
She told police that she thought Finkelstein had tried to call a co-worker he allegedly had an affair with some time ago.
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When Finkelstein tried to take his phone back they struggled, she said.
Initially, she said Finkelstein was enraged and “punched her in the face,” then she heard a loud crack from her nose. Then he put his hands around her throat and threw his cell phone hard at her chest, she said.
During another interview later in the day, she told police that after a short struggle, she told Finkelstein that she was going to call 911 because she was scared and wanted him to stop, the arrest warrant says.
As they struggled, Finkelstein accidentally hit her in the chest and nose with his phone and she was pretty sure her nose was broken, the warrant says.
Finkelstein had begun to have fits of rage, snaps when they have arguments after he has been drinking and he cannot control himself, she told investigators, according to the arrest warrant.
She said they have had physical altercations in the past, but she never reported them because Finkelstein told her that police wouldn’t believe her over him.
She went on to tell police that she had decided to call 911 because she wanted to get Finkelstein help and thought one of his “work buddies” would talk to him and possibly convince him to go to therapy for his anger, but the officers were not much help and Finkelstein just went to work.
When police spoke with Finkelstein, he said that she had taken his phone and pulled it away from him when he tried to take it back, causing it to hit her in the face, the arrest warrant states.
He told investigators that she threatened to “get him in trouble” and intentionally didn’t wash up so there would be blood on her face when police arrived.
Because of Finkelstein’s role with East Lyme police, the investigation was turned over to Connecticut state police.
During another interview with police, Finkelstein said he was confused about why the victim was upset and said he was trying to calm her down. He said she has trust issues and she hit herself with the cell phone when he let go of it.
Then, at one point during the argument, he grabbed both cell phones and threw them into the woods, according to the arrest warrant.
The arrest warrant goes on to say that Finkelstein’s explanation of the victim’s injury to her nose does not make sense.
Finkelstein has served as East Lyme’s police chief and the police commission will determine the next step, the first selectman said.
The East Lyme Police Commission has appointed Lt. Michael Macek as acting chief of police.
