DERRY — A Londonderry man who hid in his home Tuesday and held police at bay for almost six hours told a judge he tried to trick them out of arresting him because he was "trying to buy time."
Richard Berube, 43, shackled in leg braces and handcuffs, was led into Derry District Court yesterday to be arraigned on a charge of resisting arrest. He was momentarily speechless when Judge John Coughlin asked him if he wanted to plead guilty or not guilty. A full 10 seconds passed before Coughlin broke the silence.
"You seem to be at a loss," the judge said.
"Yeah, I'm not guilty," Berube said, and launched into an explanation of what happened. Coughlin stopped him, saying it would not be in his best interest to disclose any facts connected to the case.
Londonderry police said Berube was on the phone inside his home at 31 Windsor Blvd. about noon Tuesday when Officer Shannon Coyle tried to serve him with an arrest warrant on charges of missing a hearing on back child support payments. According to court papers, he owes thousands of dollars in back child support and attorney's fees.
Berube spoke to the officer from behind a closed front door, but refused to open it and told her he was not the homeowner, but a workman. He then tried to flee out the back. When Coyle caught him, drew her gun and ordered him to get down on the ground, he ran away and slipped back inside the house.
Police then called in the Southern New Hampshire Special Operations Unit, which is similar to a SWAT team. Police spent the next several hours trying to coax him out of the house.
Berube continued to pretend he was not at home. He periodically called police station on his cell phone to say he was in Franconia and not at home, according to police Lt. Scott Saunders. Berube told police his workman "freaked out" when he saw police, and the house was empty.
Police eventually stormed the house and found Berube hiding in the attic.
Yesterday, Berube said he ran into the attic because the standoff "scared the crap out of me." He asked the judge to allow him to post a bond as bail.
"Just change it to a bond, so I can work," he said.
Londonderry police prosecutor Kevin Coyle asked Coughlin to set high bail, $25,000 cash. "The facts of this case are a little unusual," he said.
Coyle, who is Officer Shannon Coyle's husband, told the judge that police finally found Berube hiding under insulation between rafters in his attic. He was wearing a gas mask to protect himself, and his skin was coated with insulation.
"Mr. Berube is a danger to himself and to the public," Coyle said, explaining that he based that judgment on the way Berube reacted on Tuesday.
The warrant was related to missed child support, a "minor" matter, Coyle said, which should not have led to a standoff. He also said Berube has a record. He was charged with reckless conduct in 2000 for trying to burn down the house at 31 Windsor Blvd. He also was convicted of writing bad checks in 1989 and 1990.
"I don't believe I'm a danger to society," Berube said later during rambling comments during which he interrupted himself frequently.
"OK, I'm trying to stay out of ... I did lie saying I was in Franconia, " Berube said. He told Coughlin he can't afford to be behind bars because he is facing a foreclosure on his home and a bankruptcy meeting with creditors.
"I just need to be out and be able to work because if I'm in jail for Friday and especially next week and early next week, everything I've worked for for the last 25 years is going to be gone," he said.
Berube said he had not slept during the "24 or 48" hours before the standoff, and had just returned from a trip to Ohio on a family matter. But Coyle cast doubt on his story.
"Mr. Berube weaves stories," he said. "I think he's trying to weave another story today. It's not like he's been telling the truth to anybody."
Coughlin set bail at $25,000 cash. Berube was transported to Rockingham County Jail, where he was still being held last night.
