Updated at 6:12 p.m.
HYDE PARK — A Morrisville man who was the subject of a three-day search in Lamoille County after he allegedly injured a police officer in a shootout has pleaded not guilty to 14 charges, including an attempted murder charge related to the officer’s injuries.
Henry Lovell, 24, appeared Monday afternoon in Lamoille County Superior criminal court in Hyde Park via video from jail to answer to the charges, which also included aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, first-degree aggravated domestic assault and criminal threatening.
Judge Mary Morrissey ordered Lovell held without bail. Based on the results of an initial mental health screening, Morrissey also ordered a full evaluation of Lovell to determine whether he’s competent to stand trial.
Lamoille County Deputy State’s Attorney Aliena Gerhard, in seeking to have Lovell held without bail, told the judge that Lovell worked to evade law enforcement.
“There was a three-day manhunt that caused schools in this area to be closed, that caused businesses to be closed,” Gerhard said.
Kirk Williams, a public defender representing Lovell, did not contest the prosecution’s request.
At one point during the hearing, Morrissey asked Lovell if he wanted the public defender’s office to represent him. Lovell replied that he did, and would welcome the help of others, too.
“I could probably use all the help I could get at this juncture,” Lovell told the judge.
Mina Lovell, Henry Lovell’s sibling who attended the court hearing, said afterward that their brother had been dealing with mental health issues for some time.
“I love my brother, I know he’s done some bad things, but that doesn’t make him a bad person,” they said. “He has a very complicated history and I came here because I wanted to show him that people love him and that he still has a chance to live after this.”
Gerhard told reporters after the hearing that, as the investigation continues, the prosecution expects to file additional charges against Lovell.
“I can’t comment on those until they’re filed by the court,” Gerhard said. “This is an ongoing investigation. It just happened Thursday night so as more evidence unfolds we will be submitting more charges to the court.”
Capt. Matthew Daley of the Vermont State Police said following the hearing that investigators were still trying to determine where Lovell was and what he was doing during the three-day search for him.
“We’re trying to figure out where he went, if anybody was possibly assisting him,” Daley said.
The charges currently leveled against Lovell stem from Thursday night, when Morristown police officer Brian Tomlinson responded to a report of a kidnapping and domestic disturbance involving Lovell, his family member and another person at an apartment near the intersection of Upper Main and Pleasant streets in Morrisville, according to police.
Tomlinson was met with gunfire and returned fire, police said. The officer was struck by pellets from Lovell’s shotgun, according to police, and suffered minor injuries. Tomlinson was treated at nearby Copley Hospital and released.
After the gunfire exchange, Lovell fled on foot, leading to a search that spanned three days. It came to an end with a tip Sunday of a person matching Lovell’s description walking in Hyde Park. Police went to the scene and arrested Lovell without incident.
“We’re glad that he decided to peacefully surrender,” Morristown Police Chief Jason Luneau said outside of court Monday.
Tomlinson reported that, as he got to the scene, he recognized Lovell from past law enforcement run-ins, according to an affidavit filed by Seth Richardson of the Vermont State Police and made public Monday. Lovell said to him, “Officer can I talk to you,’’ according to the document.
Tomlinson said Lovell walked toward him holding a shotgun and refused orders to put it down, according to the affidavit.
“Officer Tomlinson began moving back when Henry lowered the shotgun and discharged it in the direction of Officer Tomlinson,” Richardson stated in the affidavit, at which point Tomlinson fired back and Lovell fled.
Tomlinson reported being struck in at least three places, including a laceration to his inner thigh, a red mark to his left upper sternum and a red mark on the lower left side of his chin, according to the affidavit. There were no indications in court or in the filings that Lovell was injured.
According to the affidavit, Dorick Tallman was at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Morrisville on Thursday between 9 and 9:30 p.m. when another patron alerted him that a man had entered the building with a backpack and gun. “After a struggle Tallman was able to disarm the man,” Richardson wrote, adding that the man, later identified as Lovell, then fled.
The family member Lovell is charged with taking hostage told police that five days earlier he had an “episode in which he was very violent to the extent the Morristown Police and Lamoille County Mental Health” were called, Richardson wrote.
Lovell has several cases against him pending in Lamoille County, including charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, lewd and lascivious conduct, resisting arrest, violation of conditions of release, simple assault and unlawful mischief.
In at least one of the pending cases against Lovell, his competency was raised as an issue, prompting an evaluation. Gerhard, the prosecutor, speaking outside of court after Lovell’s arraignment Monday, said that evaluation found Lovell competent.
Mina Lovell said they spoke with Henry Lovell after he was arrested and said they were happy he was safe as well as the officer who was wounded.
“The person that I spoke to last night is not the same person that was present on Thursday night,” they said of their brother. “I was talking to my brother, the one that I know, the one who likes to cook food and share it with people.”
Mina Lovell said they were concerned for their brother as he sits in prison.
“I would hope that people can take it seriously that he has very serious mental health needs,” they said. “I would hope that they are responsible in giving him those mental health services that he needs.”
If convicted of the charges against him, Lovell faces up to life in prison.
