LEWISTON — A Sabattus man, who allegedly had threatened to kill himself, his girlfriend and their son, stabbed her five times then stabbed her rescuer Sunday.

Leein Hinkley, 30, of Sabattus remained in Androscoggin County Jail on Monday, held in lieu of $100,000 cash bail.

John Clark, 35, of King Road, Lisbon, told police he was at home when he heard yelling coming from his driveway. He went outside and saw a man punching a girl as they sat in a small gray car in his driveway.

Clark said he approached the car and asked the woman in the driver’s seat, Jennifer Alexander, 31, if she needed help.

She shouted: “He is crazy and he is going to kill me. Call 911!” according to an affidavit by Lisbon police officer William Tapley.

Clark tried to help Alexander out of her seat belt so she could get out of the car, but was stabbed by Hinkley with a pocketknife in the upper right shoulder. Clark managed to free Alexander and she got out of the car.

Hinkley fled the scene.

Alexander told police she had been driving from Lewiston to a friend’s house, with Hinkley in the front seat and their 14-month-old son Maxwell Hinkley in the back seat. She asked Hinkley where they were going. He threw her cell phone out the car window, she told police. She pulled off the road and into Clark’s driveway and Hinkley started punching her, she said.

After Alexander escaped, Hinkley drove to his family’s home at 202 Williams Road in Sabattus.

Noel Hinkley, Leein Hinkley’s sister, had been on the phone with Alexander during the assault, police said. She later told police that her brother had come home with the baby, who was safe with his step-grandmother. Police phoned the Hinkley home and talked to Leein Hinkley’s father, Leon. He told police his son had grabbed a shotgun and ammunition, then left the house headed for the woods.

Hinkley, a convicted felon, was barred from having a firearm. He made a statement “to the effect that police would not take him alive,” according to the affidavit.

State, county and local police coordinated efforts and awaited arrival of the Maine State Police Tactical Team. Meanwhile, Hinkley’s family was able to subdue him and he was taken into custody by authorities.

Leon Hinkley told police that his son had been making statements for several weeks that he was going to kill himself, according to the affidavit.

Leein Hinkley had been cut on his left eyebrow and was taken to the hospital. During the ride, police said he was “growling and thrashing his head from side to side and shaking his legs, to make it appear he was having a seizure,” the affidavit said. The ambulance attendant told the officer that Hinkley was “faking” the seizure.

At the hospital, Hinkley was asked if he wanted a soda during his apparent seizure. He stopped, asked for a Pepsi, then restarted the seizure-like activity, the officer wrote in his affidavit.

After being treated and released from St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Hinkley was taken to the jail with conditions he be placed on suicide watch.

Alexander later told police that Hinkley had a history of domestic violence and he had been charged with burglary after entering her home illegally recently.

Clark’s wound was stitched and he was released from Central Maine Medical Center, police said.

Alexander was expected to remain at the hospital for several days, according to the affidavit.

In 8th District Court on Monday, Hinkley was charged with attempted murder, punishable by up to 30 years in prison and aggravated assault, which carries a maximum of 10 years in prison.

Judge Paul Cote Jr. set Hinkley’s bail at $100,000 cash. He is seeking a court-appointed attorney.

Prosecutors asked for high bail given Hinkley’s extensive criminal history, including several convictions for assault.

Cote added conditions to Hinkley’s bail, including no use or possession of illegal drugs or alcohol, no possession of dangerous weapons and no contact with his two victims, including Alexander.

James Howaniec, who represented Hinkley on Monday, said he has “significant state of mind issues,” as well as a history of epilepsy.

During a courthouse meeting before his hearing, Hinkley had trouble remembering names of family members and whether he had graduated from high school, Howaniec said. A mental examination would be expected Howaniec said, but urged the judge to leave that determination to Hinkley’s appointed attorney.

Howaniec didn’t argue for lower bail, reasoning Hinkley would not be able to afford even a small amount because he has no assets.

He has extensive criminal history dating back to 2001.

In 2003 and 2008 he was convicted of assault, and in 2004 he was convicted of violating a protection order and burglary and was sentenced to two years in prison.

cwilliams@sunjournal.com