Harrison Thorp 11:48 a.m.
Saturday, May 4, 2019 11:48 am
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DOVER - The second of three Rochester residents indicted in a late-night assault on three people at a Dover McDonald's drive-thru last year was given a suspended sentence this week for his part in the attack.
Champion J. Sprague, 25, of 18 Stillwater Circle, was given three 12-months sentences for the crimes of felony riot, simple assault and criminal mischief. The riot charge, which was punishable by up to seven years in state prison, was amended to a Class A misdemeanor as part of the deal. He pleaded guilty to all charges on Wednesday.
All of the sentences were suspended for two years on good behavior. Sprague will also be on probation for a year and must pay $48 in restitution to one of the victims.
Megan L. Oneill, 27, of Spruce Street, pleaded guilty to riot last month and was also sentenced to a year in jail, all suspended.
Robert C. Gorham, 33, of 809 Salmon Falls Road, who was also indicted on second-degree assault charges for allegedly strangling a female victim, is still awaiting trial.
Court records indicate that two victims of the attack suffered injuries, including abrasions to the female victim's neck and knee and a contusion to the head of a male victim.
The incident unfolded around 11:25 p.m. on March 10, 2018, when police responded to the report of a fight at the McDonald's restaurant at 912 Central Ave. Police learned the altercation occurred in the restaurant's vehicle drive-thru lane.
In an interview shortly after the arrests, Dover Police Lt. Brant Dolleman said the three victims, a couple in their 40s and the female's son, were just waiting in line when the three suspects cut in front of them and began taunting and insulting them.
As tensions escalated, one of the men, identified as Gorham, got out of the group's vehicle and approached the victims' car, Dolleman said, which led the 19-year-old to also get out to confront him.
Dolleman said the violence escalated quickly. First, he said Gorham took a swing at the teen, but missed. Then Gorham went over to and began strangling the woman.
As her companion came to her defense, he was assaulted by Sprague, Dolleman said, adding that at some point after this, O'Neill also struck the woman.
The alleged assailants all fled before the arrival of police, who later met up with the victims at Wentworth Douglass Hospital where they were all treated for what were describes as relatively minor injuries.
Dolleman said early on in their investigation of the case they learned the identity of the suspect car's owner, however, the identity of the other two ended up taking almost two months.