“WINDHAM, N.H. — A former state representative was arrested Wednesday after he failed to appear for a court date tied to his indictment in the assault of an election worker on Election Day 2005.
Christopher Doyle, 30, was scheduled to appear before a judge in Rockingham County Superior Court on yesterday for defaulting a court date before the start of his trial in the assault case involving Gail Webster, the Nashua Telegraph reported.
Doyle is accused of striking Webster, 62, in March 2005, soon after he lost a re-election bid for Windham selectman.
The warrant was issued for Doyle’s arrest after he failed to appear for a court date on Sept. 18. His trial was scheduled to begin Monday. ”
A former Windham state representative and selectman was in court in Brentwood yesterday, days after being taken into custody by the FBI at its Lowell, Mass., office.
Christopher Doyle, 30, was arrested last week on a bench warrant for missing a pretrial hearing in case that is now more than three years old.
He asked a judge to return $5,000 in bail money so he could pay for an attorney, according to Assistant Attorney General Jim Kennedy. He was also granted a trial extension until Dec. 1.
Doyle is accused of hitting then-61-year-old Gail Webster while she was serving as an election official in 2005, according to court records. Doyle allegedly assaulted Webster shortly after election results were read on March 8 at the Golden Brook School in Windham.
Because Webster was serving as an election official at the time of the alleged assault, Doyle was charged with a felony. If convicted, he could face up to 7 years in jail and a $4,000 fine. He has already turned down a plea agreement with prosecutors that could have spared him jail time. Instead, he has requested a jury trial, expected to take three days, according to court records.
Last year, Doyle lost an appeal to the state Supreme Court. He argued the charges should be lessened because Webster was ineligible to be serving as an election official at the time. The court disagreed, saying even if Webster should have been disqualified, she was still serving as a town official at the time.