Man accused in Christmas stabbings faces June court date

Alton Britch (York County Jail photo)

ALFRED, Maine - The Vermont man who allegedly walked into the home of distant relatives on West Lebanon Road Christmas night and stabbed three family members faces a June court date at York County Superior court, his defense lawyer said today.

Alton Britch, 44, of Wheelock, Vt., faces three counts of felony aggravated assault with a weapon and three counts of felony reckless conduct with a weapon.
He faces up to 30 years in prison on each count of aggravated assault and five years on each of the reckless conduct counts.
Britch allegedly walked into the home of his cousin, 58-year-old Beverly Duquette of 188 West Lebanon Road a little before 10 p.m. Christmas night, and stabbed her grandson, 18-year old Dominic Small, three times in the back.
Britch also stabbed Duquette's husband, Randall, 54, and her daughter, 39-year-old Anna Malinowski.
During an ensuing struggle police say Britch was hit over the head with a frying pan and subdued. Police say he was being held down when they arrived.
The three sustained what were described as nonlife-threatening injuries and were treated and released from Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester.
Maine State Trooper James MacDonald said a few days after the incident that family members said they had no idea why Britch had stopped by and that it had been more than two years since they had seen him.
The knife was recovered at the scene, MacDonald said.
A neighbor, who didn't want to have his name used, said the night of the stabbings he saw police interviewing a man who "seemed to be out of it" out on the street for several minutes.
"He didn't seem coherent," the neighbor said.
Britch is free on bail and was in court on April 13 when he pleaded not guilty on all charges.

Defense attorney Ed Folsom of Biddeford said today his client's next court date is next month, but declined to further discuss specifics of the case.

Meanwhile, a clerk at York County Superior Court said she was unaware of the June court date.