Beating incident leads to four arrests

WARE — A married couple from Ware, along with an 18-year-old woman and a young man, are facing charges after a 15-year-old victim was allegedly kidnapped and beaten. When the police attempted to arrest one of the accused, her husband allegedly attacked the police.

Articles Police Sgt. Christopher DeSantis said Saturday that the couple, Arthur Powell IV, 41, and Hailey Powell, 29, of 13 Webb Court, were being held on $1,000 cash bail while awaiting arraignment in the East Hampshire District Court on Tuesday.

Ciarah Caraid-Starr, also of 13 Webb Court, was arrested Tuesday, May 21, on charges of child abduction, two counts of battery and a single count of reckless endangerment of a child.

Caraid-Starr was arraigned at the Eastern District Court in Hampshire on Tuesday, May 21 and was released on $500 cash bail.

DeSantis said officers attempted to arrest Hailey Powell on Friday, May 24, at her home on a warrant in connection with an assault and battery incident on Sunday. When his wife allegedly assaulted officers and attempted to evade capture, Hailey Powell intervened, fought with officers and attempted to take an officer's Taser, police said.

Hailey Powell faces charges of resisting arrest, eluding a police officer, battery on a police officer and disorderly conduct in connection with the arrest debacle.

Arthur Powell is being held on two counts of resisting arrest and single counts of battery on a police officer, attempting to disarm a police officer and disorderly conduct.

Police were at the Powell home to arrest Ms Powell on a warrant in relation to an incident at Grenville Park in Ware on Sunday May 19. According to police reports, Powell and Cariad-Starr dragged a 15-year-old by the hair a considerable distance from the bank of the Ware River. Once there, the two women hit and beat the young girl, while being encouraged by a young man who recorded the attack on video.

This video was then uploaded to a social media site where police were able to capture it.

According to a police statement, “The Ware Police Department obtained disturbing social media video of this incident, showing the suspects dragging a young woman by the hair approximately 100 feet from the Park Street exit in Grenville Park . The minor victim was dragged by her hair and sometimes on the ground. The victim was pushed down a hill where the suspects then got on top of her and began beating her.

“The man who was filming this incident can be heard screaming to assault the victim and kick him in the head,” the statement said.

The juvenile suspect will be charged in juvenile court, DeSantis said.