NH- Police say woman recanted her report of rape

9-21-2009 New Hampshire:

Man charged with driving under influence of prescription

It began Friday night with phone calls to police about a woman running on a downtown Keene street in only a shirt and underwear, saying she had been raped.

After she changed her story, it ended Saturday afternoon in assault charges against her boyfriend and an investigation against the woman for a false report, police said.

At about 10:30 p.m. Friday, callers alerted police to the plight of Erin Wheeler, 29, who was chasing a man down Washington Street while wearing only underwear and a pink shirt.

Wheeler was brought to Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene after she accused the man, her boyfriend Nicholas Michelewicz, 21, of raping her, according to Keene police Lt. Shane C. Maxfield.

At the hospital, Wheeler retracted the claim, and instead said that Michelewicz had pushed her to the ground during an argument, Maxfield said.

Michelewicz, who co-hosts the Cheshire TV libertarian-centric show Free Minds TV was arrested at the couple’s home at 8 Town St., on Saturday afternoon and charged with simple assault.

He was later released on $1,000 personal recognizance until his arraignment on Oct. 5, and ordered not to contact Wheeler or go within 100 yards of her, Maxfield said.

Police are still weighing false report charges against Wheeler for the sexual assault claim, he said.

Man arrested after driving onto a lawn

WINCHESTER — The driver of a van that ended up in the yard of a Winchester home Friday morning was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of drugs, according to police.

Jeffrey Meattey, 51, of Fitzwilliam, was driving a 2007 Chrysler Town and Country at about 11:40 a.m. when he lost control of the vehicle and drove through a row of bushes at 97 Richmond Road, according to Winchester police Lt. Christopher Roberts.

Officers’ observations at the scene and an admission by Meattey to taking prescription medication led to the charges, Roberts said.

The police report did not include information about what medication Meattey had taken, Roberts said.

Fire Mutual Aid log

Dispatchers at Southwestern N.H. District Fire Mutual Aid in Keene handled requests for medical aid and fire calls on Friday, Sept. 18, including:

12:36 a.m., Antrim Fire Department to Main Street, fire alarm.

3:09 a.m., Fitzwilliam Fire Department to 241 Rhododendron Road, carbon monoxide alarm.

10:48 a.m., Peterborough Fire Department to Dublin Road, motor vehicle crash, one medical transport. No further information available.

1:22 p.m., Bennington Fire Department to 19 Main St., electrical fire.

3:39 p.m., Rindge Fire Department to 43 Sawmill Road, fire alarm.

4:57 p.m., Rindge Fire Department to 497 Route 202, motor vehicle crash, one medical transport. No further information available.

5:16 p.m., Hancock Fire Department to 93 Eaton Road, service call.

5:42 p.m., Walpole Fire Department to 207 Whitcomb Road, smoke investigation.

5:54 p.m., Swanzey Fire Department to 767 West Swanzey Road, motor vehicle crash, two injuries.

6:12 p.m., Fitzwilliam Fire Department to 315 Richmond Road, motor vehicle crash, one injury, no further information available.

10:20 p.m., Winchester Fire Department to 209 Manning Hill Road, motor vehicle crash, no medical transport. ..Source.. by Sarah Palermo