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http://www.unionleader.com/article....rticleId=bdabbe67-48e6-4ce7-85d5-9f17b8498f2e
Bizarre Lisbon break-in haunts owner
By LORNA COLQUHOUN
Union Leader Correspondent
16 hours, 49 minutes ago
LISBON — Two days after Mike Tobin confronted an intruder in his son's bedroom, it's the what-ifs that are most troubling to him.
EATHORNE
"My wife's 93-year-old grandmother lives with us — what if she had been home?" Tobin said yesterday afternoon. "My daughter was supposed to be here, but she ended up leaving earlier with friends, same with my son. Who's to say what would have happened if someone had been home?"
But the Tobins' Ash Hill Road farmhouse was empty Saturday afternoon after Mike Tobin's wife, Kathi, talked her grandmother into going grocery shopping; the children were out were friends.
Police said that Wayne Eathorne, 26, of Littleton, broke into the house after his vehicle ran off the road in front of the Tobin home. Eathorne was arraigned in Littleton District Court yesterday afternoon on charges of driving while intoxicated, attempting to commit burglary and criminal threatening.
Tobin had left earlier in the day with his friend, Paul Aldrich of Woodsville. The two have been friendly for years, since their days as corrections officers at the Grafton County House of Correction.
TOBIN
"We were planning to spend the night out at Paul's camp in West Bath," said Tobin, explaining that he had joined Aldrich, who was planning to shoot pictures of deer.
Tobin and Aldrich returned to Tobin's house about 2:30 p.m. Aldrich waited at the front door, while Tobin went through a side door to let him into the house. As Aldrich was waiting, he noticed a vehicle had gone off the road a short distance from the house.
"I opened the door and I could hear yelling coming from the upstairs," Tobin said. "I thought it was my son horsing around, but when I went up to his room, the mattress is off the bed and some guy is on the floor in his long johns, bellowing."
Tobin is licensed to carry a concealed weapon and was armed.
He said Eathorne had his hand under his son's bed; Tobin was not sure if he was armed.
"I drew my weapon," he said. "He came after me, and I punched him in the head and dragged him downstairs."
That wasn't easy, since it meant going down a spiral staircase.
"We trussed him up — we had his legs up and his hands behind his back so he couldn't kick or swing until the cops got there," Tobin said.
The police responded at 2:42 p.m. Lisbon police Sgt. Scott McKinley said he had been on his way to Littleton with a stray dog that had been barking and wandering around the parking lot at an arts festival at Lisbon High School.
"The dog belonged to Mr. Eathorne's fiancee," McKinley said.
The Tobins said it was clear that Eathorne had rummaged through the rooms and belongings of their son and daughter.
Eathorne refused bail and spent the weekend at the county jail. Littleton District Court Judge Peter Cyr set bail at $10,000 personal recognizance and ordered Eathorne to stay away from the Tobins.
In seeking bail, prosecutor Anthony Mincu said given the circumstances, Eathorne could be considered dangerous.
"When the homeowner confronted (Eathorne), he resisted and a melee did occur," Mincu said in court yesterday. "It is unexplained why he was in the residence and why he had rifled through two rooms. His actions posed a danger to the occupants . . . and he is very lucky he was not shot."
Public defender Caroline Brown noted that Eathorne had no prior criminal record, is gainfully employed and has a pregnant girlfriend.
A probable cause hearing on the felony charge of attempt to commit burglary is set for Dec. 20 at 11 a.m. A trial on the other counts is Jan. 6.
Bizarre Lisbon break-in haunts owner
By LORNA COLQUHOUN
Union Leader Correspondent
16 hours, 49 minutes ago
LISBON — Two days after Mike Tobin confronted an intruder in his son's bedroom, it's the what-ifs that are most troubling to him.
EATHORNE
"My wife's 93-year-old grandmother lives with us — what if she had been home?" Tobin said yesterday afternoon. "My daughter was supposed to be here, but she ended up leaving earlier with friends, same with my son. Who's to say what would have happened if someone had been home?"
But the Tobins' Ash Hill Road farmhouse was empty Saturday afternoon after Mike Tobin's wife, Kathi, talked her grandmother into going grocery shopping; the children were out were friends.
Police said that Wayne Eathorne, 26, of Littleton, broke into the house after his vehicle ran off the road in front of the Tobin home. Eathorne was arraigned in Littleton District Court yesterday afternoon on charges of driving while intoxicated, attempting to commit burglary and criminal threatening.
Tobin had left earlier in the day with his friend, Paul Aldrich of Woodsville. The two have been friendly for years, since their days as corrections officers at the Grafton County House of Correction.
TOBIN
"We were planning to spend the night out at Paul's camp in West Bath," said Tobin, explaining that he had joined Aldrich, who was planning to shoot pictures of deer.
Tobin and Aldrich returned to Tobin's house about 2:30 p.m. Aldrich waited at the front door, while Tobin went through a side door to let him into the house. As Aldrich was waiting, he noticed a vehicle had gone off the road a short distance from the house.
"I opened the door and I could hear yelling coming from the upstairs," Tobin said. "I thought it was my son horsing around, but when I went up to his room, the mattress is off the bed and some guy is on the floor in his long johns, bellowing."
Tobin is licensed to carry a concealed weapon and was armed.
He said Eathorne had his hand under his son's bed; Tobin was not sure if he was armed.
"I drew my weapon," he said. "He came after me, and I punched him in the head and dragged him downstairs."
That wasn't easy, since it meant going down a spiral staircase.
"We trussed him up — we had his legs up and his hands behind his back so he couldn't kick or swing until the cops got there," Tobin said.
The police responded at 2:42 p.m. Lisbon police Sgt. Scott McKinley said he had been on his way to Littleton with a stray dog that had been barking and wandering around the parking lot at an arts festival at Lisbon High School.
"The dog belonged to Mr. Eathorne's fiancee," McKinley said.
The Tobins said it was clear that Eathorne had rummaged through the rooms and belongings of their son and daughter.
Eathorne refused bail and spent the weekend at the county jail. Littleton District Court Judge Peter Cyr set bail at $10,000 personal recognizance and ordered Eathorne to stay away from the Tobins.
In seeking bail, prosecutor Anthony Mincu said given the circumstances, Eathorne could be considered dangerous.
"When the homeowner confronted (Eathorne), he resisted and a melee did occur," Mincu said in court yesterday. "It is unexplained why he was in the residence and why he had rifled through two rooms. His actions posed a danger to the occupants . . . and he is very lucky he was not shot."
Public defender Caroline Brown noted that Eathorne had no prior criminal record, is gainfully employed and has a pregnant girlfriend.
A probable cause hearing on the felony charge of attempt to commit burglary is set for Dec. 20 at 11 a.m. A trial on the other counts is Jan. 6.
