Rochester man gets prison in DV case that drew SWAT team response in April 2017

Harrison Thorp 1:14 p.m.


Rochester man gets prison in DV case that drew SWAT team response in April 2017

Michael Lovely is escorted by a Sheriff's deputy and court security officer out of Courtroom 1 today after he was sentenced to prison. (Rochester Voice photo)

DOVER - A Rochester man who sparked a SWAT team response following a 911 call for a domestic assault in April 2017 was sentenced today to three to six years in a New Hampshire State Prison.

Michael W. Lovely, 34, of 239 Washington St., pleaded guilty last week to four felonies, including a second degree assault for strangling a domestic partner and three other simple assaults all enhanced under a domestic assault statute.

At the conclusion of his three to six year sentence, he will face two more consecutive three and a half to seven year sentences all suspended.

Lovely, who had been out on bail, briefly hugged a family member at the entrance to the courtroom before receiving his sentence from Strafford County Superior Court Judge Mark S. Howard. Lovely was then ushered by a Strafford County Sheriff's Deputy and court bailiff to an anteroom where he was placed in handcuffs.

The incident that spawned the standoff unfolded on April 6, 2017, when Rochester Police responded to a residence at 239 Washington St. for a reported domestic disturbance. Upon arrival they removed an adult female and children from the residence.

According to narratives pulled from day's police log, Rochester dispatch received a 911 call apparently from one of the children at 2:56 p.m. that said "his father is assaulting his mother."

The caller asked police to hurry before the call was disconnected.

Police log narrative then indicated that the male has a gun and was in the kitchen. Another caller, likely the mother, then says all the kids are outside waiting, before that signal is lost, too.

Upon arrival at the scene officers set up a perimeter and the Strafford County Regional Tactical Operations Unit was activated and responded to the scene. Washington Street from Chesley Hill Road to Estes Road was closed for several hours.

A search was performed, however Lovely got away.

The handgun referred to in the police log was thought to be a bb gun, which police never recovered.

The female victim was treated at Frisbie Memorial Hospital with what were described as nonlife-threatening injuries. None of the children were hurt in the incident.

Following a weeklong manhunt, lawmen found and arrested Lovely without incident at a residence on Long Shore Drive in Barrington.

The arrest was coordinated with Rochester and Barrington police and the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force.

Lovely at the time was charged with second degree assault, simple assault, criminal mischief and criminal threatening, all Class B felonies.