GLOUCESTER, Mass. – A Massachusetts man is facing several charges after he was accused of throwing the mother of his daugther in front of a dump truck Friday.
According to a report by Boston.com, Michael Baker appeared before a Gloucester District Court judge Monday to face multiple charges including attempted murder and assault and battery.
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"I don't know what happened," Baker told authorities after he was arrested. "We played in traffic. It was a bipolar episode."
Police report that first responders arrived at the scene of a motor vehicle collision involving pedestrians. First responders arrived to find Baker and a woman lying on the ground.
The woman told Detective Johnathan Trefry she had been picking up her daughter from Baker's mother's house before the crash. She said Baker was possibly under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
He attempted to stop them from leaving in her SUV and she got out of the vehicle to speak with him, she told authorities. She also told authorities that they had recently had arguements over child custody.
"He then stopped mid-sentence, his facial expression became 'demonic' and he grabbed her in a 'football' maneuver with his arms under her arms," Trefry wrote in his report. "He then lifted her off the ground. She heard screeching and saw the grill of the truck. The next thing she remembers was being on the ground and screaming for help."
The driver of the truck said he watched Baker pick the woman "almost over his shoulder" and run out in the path of the truck. Despite the driver's best efforts to swerve out of the way, the truck struck both of them.
The driver of the truck immediately called 911 after the crash. Baker suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries. The woman suffered scrapes and abrasions to her foot, leg and back. They were both treated at separate hospitals.
The woman told police that the truck driver was not at fault.
Referencing Baker, she said, "He did this. He threw me in front of the truck."
Baker was taken from his hospital bed to appear in court and made several statements including asking to see what substances were in his body because he believed he was rohypied, referring to the date-rape drug rohypnol.
"This is out of character for me," said Baker. "I am a family man and a professor. This is the craziest thing I have done in my 40 years of existence."
Baker was also charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Baker is scheduled to appear in court again on April 29.