A local police chief in Connecticut previously arrested over an alleged domestic violence incident is facing additional charges, state police announced.
East Lyme Police Chief Michael Finkelstein on Monday was charged with making false statements, violation of a protective order and disorderly conduct, NBC Connecticut reported. The 53-year-old chief was initially arrested on a count of disorderly conduct and breach of peace in the second degree following an investigation into an alleged disturbance at his East Lyme home earlier this month.
According to warrants for his arrest, authorities responded to the residence on June 5, where they were met by a woman who claimed Finkelstein struck her during an argument the night before.
She said she and Finklestein, who had been drinking throughout the night, got in an argument over his texting a co-worker he allegedly had an affair with in the past. During a struggle over his department issued phone, the officer struck her face, using what she said was an “upward palm heel strike,” the warrant affidavit said, per the Hartford Courant.
Police noted in the warrant that they saw multiple visible injuries on the woman, including “dried blood on her nose, upper lip and chin” when they arrived on the scene.
Finkelstein has meanwhile denied hitting the woman, alleging instead that she struck herself in the face while they wrestled over his phone. Still, the police chief agreed to surrender his police-issued firearm and he was placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of an investigation.
The new charges stem from an incident involving the same woman, which occurred on June 18, 2023, according to the Courant. Local police requested state authorities “re-investigate” the incident following Finkelstein’s arrest earlier this month. A confrontation between the pair at the time was similarly triggered by Finkelstein texting another woman. The alleged victim claimed Finkelstein forcefully grabbed her as they fought and took a remote and “stuck it against” the side of her nose “really hard,” according to the affidavit.
She said children were present when this happened.
The woman also told police at the time Finkelstein had “altercations” with other people at the home, but he cut her off before he could continue.
Finkelstein in an interview earlier this month denied any violence occurred during the 2023 incident. He said the woman called 911 because one of the children’s hands was injured while being buckled into his car seat. When asked if he was getting into the vehicle to prevent the woman from leaving, Finkelstein cut off the conversation.
The woman walked back claims of violence in a more recent interview, telling police she was just emotional at the time.
