NORTH ANDOVER | A former partner in Academy Auto School has been charged with stealing money from the firm, police said.

Michael Larocque, 44, of 69 Colonial Road, Lawrence, was released without bail after his arraignment Tuesday in Lawrence District Court on charges of embezzlement by a broker and larceny over $250 by a single scheme.

Larocque, who also runs the driver education program at Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, left the Main Street firm in January to start his own auto school. His former partners allege he misspent $9,339 during the partnership's existence from 2004 to 2007.

Charlene Tommasino, one of the remaining two partners, told police that when Larocque left, they reviewed all the financial documentation for the firm and learned there was only $83 in the business account.

Tommasino told police she and Larocque were the only principals of the company to have debit cards and that he was in charge of payroll as well.

Tommasino told investigators that after reviewing the financial documents, she found Larocque had been using the company debit card for personal use ever since the school opened in 2004, according to police reports.

That personal use included the purchase of gasoline, and merchandise from BJ's Wholesale Club and Staples.

He also used the card at Foxwoods Casino, and to pay for hotel rooms, cell phone bills and other expenses, plus a $170 tab at a Lowell restaurant, police said.

Larocque admitted he used the card for personal expenses such as gas for his truck, an Online Buddies membership and a cell phone bill, according to police reports.

He also told police he may have paid the cell phone bill money back.

Tommasino told police that after Larocque left the company, she learned he had started his own driving school, North Andover Auto School, at 203 Turnpike St.

But in other documents filed with the court, Larocque's lawyer, Ellen Shimer-Brenes, called the incident a "business deal gone bad" and suggested the case belonged in civil court.

Shimer-Brenes said the remaining partners in the Academy Auto School were angry at Larocque for leaving to start another auto school in the same town.

"It appears as though this criminal complaint was filed so as to intimidate Mr. Larocque and 'put him out of business,''' Shimer-Brenes wrote.

She said to the court that Larocque told the remaining partners he was owed $1,800 in back pay when he left and that he invested $2,800 of his own money and had also paid for office furniture, file cabinets, two air conditioners, a computer printer and remains the co-owner of Academy Auto School's two cars.

"It was only after Mr. Larocque suggested that he be compensated for all of his initial investments that the criminal complaint was filed," Shimer-Brenes wrote.

But Detective Lt. Paul Gallagher said yesterday that after a long investigation of the allegations, charges were sought.

"He was an officer of the company. He misused company funds for his own purposes," Gallagher said.

If he is convicted, Larocque could face up to five years in prison on each charge.

He was ordered to return to Lawrence District Court on Sept. 26 for a pretrial hearing.

A secretary at Academy Auto School said Tommasino was unavailable for comment yesterday afternoon.

Larocque did not respond to requests for comment.