Woman struck friend with
shovel, police say

Bangor Daily News
March 4, 2003

CALAIS - A 22-year-old woman was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon after she allegedly struck a friend with a shovel. She later was charged with possession of prescription drugs. Melissa Manza's husband, Ralph Manza, 32, also was arrested and charged with furnishing prescription drugs.

It all began in early February after police arrested an unidentified person on a drug-related offense.

That person, who was not identified in court papers, told police that Ralph Manza sold OxyContin from his apartment. The informant said Manza had a legal prescription for the drug, according to an affidavit on file at 4th District Court.

On Feb. 22, Bobbie Sue Kennard, 20, of Calais arrived at the Police Department and said that she had lent money to the Manzas so that Melissa could buy items for the baby she is expecting.

When she went to the couple's apartment to collect the money, the Manzas were not home.

Kennard told police that she was told the couple had used a friend's truck to obtain drugs in Canada in a bid to sell them and use the money to pay her back, the court documents said.

While she waited, Kennard told police, she saw a quantity of pills and some white powder and "what appeared to be either a straw or hollow pen tube near the powder," the documents said.

About 20 minutes later, Kennard said, Melissa Manza returned to the apartment, carrying a shovel. "Melissa told Bobbie Sue to get out and struck her with the shovel," the court papers said.

Kennard went to the Calais Police Department to report the alleged assault. Officers there said they noticed swelling with slight redness on the upper left part of Kennard's back and neck.

As police investigated, they were told by U.S. border authorities that the Manzas had just cleared customs. "They were not searched, as Melissa told the inspectors she was having contractions and needed to go to the hospital," the court document said.

The couple later left their apartment, and when police stopped them in Calais, they were searched, but no pills were found. Melissa Manza told police that she was in labor and had made arrangements to be driven to a hospital in Bangor.

Instead, she was taken to the Calais Police Department, where a paramedic examined her. Manza did not complain of any pain. "Ms. Manza has expressed no discomfort and has been sitting in the booking room talking to the people at the station," the court documents said.

Police contacted the hospital and were told that doctors there had not spoken to Manza and were not expecting her.

A search warrant was obtained. A search of the Manza vehicle and apartment turned up no pills, but two shovels were found at the apartment.

When police asked to search Melissa Manza, she refused. A search warrant was obtained and police found a Ziploc bag case containing six Dilaudid pills in Manza's clothing, the affidavit said.