Bush
Arthur Bush, left, appears in 8th District Court Monday at his sentencing on charges of robbery and aggravated assault.

LEWISTON — A judge on Monday sentenced a local man to serve 13 years in prison for severely beating a clerk with bottles and robbing her last year at an upscale Lisbon Street wine shop.

Arthur Bush, 47, of 45 Shawmut St. appeared in 8th District Court where Judge Rick Lawrence sentenced Bush to 23 years in prison but suspended 10 years of that sentence. Afterward, he’ll serve four years of probation.

During probation, Bush must not have nor use illegal drugs for which he can be searched and tested at random, Lawrence said. Bush also must stay away from The Vault and any other Lisbon Street businesses that sell goods or food or provide services.

Bush must undergo mental health and substance abuse counseling to the satisfaction of his probation officer.

He will be under curfew 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

If Bush were to violate the terms of his probation, he may have to serve part or all of the remainder of his overall sentence.

The Class A crime of robbery is punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Class B aggravated assault is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Lawrence sentenced Bush to the maximum on that charge, but allowed him to serve that sentence concurrently, at the same time as the robbery charge.

Lawrence cited the cruel manner in which Bush bludgeoned clerk Lisa Goundie, 57, with two wine bottles during the robbery. Unable to open the cash drawer, Bush fled the scene with only $4 from Goundie’s wallet. He later bought tobacco with the stolen cash.

Bush had owed $200 to his drug dealer from a day earlier for crack cocaine and heroin.

Goundie suffered a severe concussion and a traumatic brain injury in addition to a scalp wound that took 30 staples to close, and several other scalp and facial lacerations. She continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and lost the ability to drive. She can no longer care for her husband, who is blind.

Lawrence ordered Bush to pay nearly $12,000 in restitution for Goundie’s medical care. Her lost wages amount to more than $3,000.

Goundie did not attend the sentencing. Speaking of the July 23 incident causes her to experience depression, Lawrence said.

Assistant District Attorney Andrew Matulis had argued last week for a 25-year sentence with all but 15 years suspended; defense attorney Adam Sherman had been seeking a nine-year sentence with all but four years suspended.

The brutal attack occurred shortly before 3 p.m after Bush had first tried the locked doors of downtown Lisbon Street businesses. Matulis had shown the judge surveillance video footage of Bush’s movements prior to the attack captured, by coincidence, on the cameras at the exterior of 8th District Court.

After assaulting Goundie and threatening to kill her, he shoved her into the bathroom then tried and failed to force open the cash register.

Police were tipped off the next day that Bush, identified from the video, would be at a local convenience store. When confronted, Bush confessed to the assault.

He had dropped out of school in the eighth grade and spent time in foster care, Sherman said. Bush had been abused by a family member as a child and used drugs to self-medicate, Sherman said. Bush collects Social Security.

Although his criminal record includes a felony drug conviction, Bush had no violent crimes in his history until he pleaded guilty earlier this year to the robbery and assault at The Vault.

cwilliams@sunjournal.com

bush
Arthur Bush is shown at his initial appearance in 8th District Court in Lewiston last year on charges of robbery and aggravated assault at The Vault wine shop on Lisbon Street. He was sentenced at that court on Monday after pleading guilty to those charges.