Staff reports 1:46 p.m.
Monday, December 5, 2016 1:47 pm
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ROCHESTER - The Rochester man said to have had a confrontation with Bang N Jane drummer Jim Unfonak earlier in the evening the night he was allegedly fatally punched by a Barnstead man in the parking lot of Gary's Sports Bar was found guilty of simple assault last month in Rochester District Court.
Forrest Rollins, 42, of Brook St., was sentenced after a finding of guilt on Nov. 22 and ordered to pay a $1,240 fine. The charge, itself, simple assault/mutual combat, was reduced from a Class A misdemeanor to a violation.
While Rochester police wouldn't officially confirm Unfonak as the other combatant because they don't identify victims of assault, a source close to the investigation told The Lebanon Voice in February that the victim was Unfonak, who died the day after he was allegedly punched in the head by Eric Langlais, 42, of Barnstead.
Near the time of the incident Rochester Police Capt. Gary Boudreau said the assault Rollins committed, which he characterized as a "shove," occurred before Langlais, who is charged with felony manslaughter in Unfonak's death, was told to leave Gary's Sports Bar by bar personnel.
According to affidavits, however, Langlais, along with Mandy Patch, 38, of Old Milton Road, Rochester; and Laurie Henner, 41, of Whitebirch Lane in Farmington all refused to leave as they spoiled for a fight in the parking lot with the popular drummer, according to affidavits.
Unfonak, 44, of Rochester, was getting into a car to leave the tavern around 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 31 when he was allegedly punched in the head by Langlais, who is also said to have had a separate altercation with Unfonak inside the bar earlier in the night. Unfonak was rushed to Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, where he died of his injuries the next day.
Patch, who was charged with one count of simple assault and felony riot, received a one-year suspended sentence in June, while Henner was sentenced a week ago to a full year in Strafford County jail.
Langlais' trial is expected to get under way next month in Strafford County Superior Court.