Holden police are questioning why a local man who was recently sentenced to serve 15 months for hitting a pedestrian while driving drunk — then leaving the scene — has still not been locked up, after he was charged with new crimes on Friday.
But the man’s attorney said he is currently out on bail pending an appeal in his earlier case.
That man, 52-year-old David Mackenzie, was arrested Friday after Holden police responded to a domestic violence report.
At around 9:15 p.m., officers responded to a 911 call from an upset woman. When they arrived at the scene, they took Mackenzie into custody on charges of domestic violence assault, operating after suspension and violation of conditions of release.
In early October, Mackenzie had been sentenced to six years in prison, with all but 15 months suspended, after he was convicted in August of four felony counts for striking 87-year-old Ira Williams of Brewer with his vehicle while driving under the influence on July 15, 2023. Mackenzie left the scene of the crash and attempted to hide his vehicle at his Holden residence, according to the police.
After his prison sentence, part of his probation conditions were to include not returning to High Tide and not drinking alcohol. He was also required to pay a $2,100 fine, and his driver’s license was suspended for six years.
After Mackenzie’s arrest last week, Holden police were not able to determine why he was not in prison serving his sentence, the agency wrote on its Facebook page on Sunday. According to Lt. Andrew Whitehouse, Mackenzie has not served any time in prison since he was granted post-conviction bail in August 2024.
Mackenzie’s attorney, Hunter Tzovarras, said that his client is currently out on bail pending an appeal of his conviction, but that he has no other new information.
The Holden Police Department also said that Mackenzie’s arrest on Friday is the second it’s made in two months of a suspect who apparently had an outstanding sentence for earlier crimes.
On Nov. 19, Christopher Webber was arrested for alleged scheduled drug possession. He had allegedly been in possession of enough fentanyl to kill 200,000 people.
Webber had not completed an earlier sentence for aggravated drug trafficking when he was taken into custody in November.
Representatives of the Penobscot County district attorney’s office and the state corrections department also didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
BDN writer Charles Eichacker contributed reporting.
