A man from Ayer is due back in court on Friday after his bail was revoked when police say he refused to vandalize a boat belonging to a man who was the victim of a racist incident last summer.
David McPartlan, 67, will appear in Fitchburg District Court for two criminal cases linked to an incident that took place during Memorial Day weekend in Lunenburg. A judge revoked McPartlan’s bail last month after officials said he attempted to intimidate a witness from his initial criminal case.
Sheron Brown and his young daughter were fishing at Lake Shirley when rocks were thrown at them, and racial slurs were shouted at them. Brown captured the incident on video and called the police.
In his video of the incident, Brown asks, incredulously, “Did you just throw a rock at me?”
McPartlan yelled back, “Yeah, I threw rocks at you, [racial slur].”
McPartlan was summoned to court last June in connection with the incident on two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and two counts of assault to intimidate.
McPartlan pleaded not guilty to the charges and was ordered released on his personal recognizance. He was also ordered to stay away from Brown and his daughter.
The Ayer man’s bail was revoked last month based on a criminal complaint filed in court in October.
On Sept. 26, a former employee managed by McPartlan at an Ayer-based business told police that he was fired after he refused to vandalize a boat belonging to Brown, according to court filings.
McPartlan told the employee he’d pay him $500 to vandalize the boat, according to court documents. McPartlan gave the employee Brown’s address, where the boat was located.
McPartlan provided specific instructions and ordered the employee to use a sledgehammer and smash the engine on the back of Brown’s boat, documents state.
“McPartlan’s intent was to damage Brown’s boat as a retaliation for their ongoing criminal case,” documents state. “McPartlan intended to or had a reckless disregard for the court case, which may obstruct/interfere with the proceedings.”
McPartlan threatened to fire the employee if he did not vandalize Brown’s boat, documents state, but the employee refused.
As a result, the employee told police McPartlan fired him on Sept. 23.
An attorney for McPartlan did not return requests for comment this week.
