POWNAL -- State police said an investigation into a report of prolonged abuse to a female victim led them to arrest a 46-year-old Pownal man on four felony charges over the weekend.

Patrick "Junior" Lanteigne was taken into custody Saturday and charged with aggravated domestic assault, aggravated sexual assault, interfering with access to emergency services, and regulated drug possession. He was charged as a habitual offender because of four prior felony convictions, according to Trooper Jesse Robson in a written release.

Police said Lanteigne was identified as the alleged perpetrator following interviews with the victim and witnesses and viewing numerous medical reports. Police said the incidents occurred over a three-year period, and resulted in injuries to the victim, who was not identified, including compression fractures and cuts to her face that resulted in permanent scarring.

In the written statement, Robson said Lanteigne allegedly sexually assaulted the victim against her will, and prevented her from calling 911 by taking and destroying her cell phone when she attempted to call for help.

When the police investigation concluded last Thursday, July 5, Robson reported that police spoke with Lanteigne over the phone, and he stated that he was out of the area but would turn himself in five days later.

Two days later on Saturday, at approximately 4 p.m., state police conducted a motor vehicle stop in Bennington on Route 9 West. Lanteigne was a passenger in that vehicle, police said, and they observed that he had "drastically changed his appearance by being clean shaven with short hair." When taken into custody, Lanteigne was in possession of three Vicodan pills and a small amount of marijuana.

Police said the driver of the vehicle, 40-year-old Joseph Gardner of Pownal, was also found to be in possession of drugs following a consent search of the vehicle. Gardner was charged with possession resulting from about 20 grams of marijuana.

Lanteigne was lodged at Marble Valley Correctional Facility on $150,000 bail, and is due in court today, July 9.

-- Zeke Wright