BOURNE – A Bourne Selectman has stepped down from his position amid allegations he physically abused his girlfriend and threatened her life.
Michael Blanton resigned Tuesday night, a day after he was ordered held as a danger following his arrest on February 26.
Blanton is accused of attacking his girlfriend of three years on two occasions, one on November 4 and the other on February 25.
According to a Bourne police report, the victim was attacked in February during an argument over Blanton’s alleged infidelity. He is accused of strangling her, slamming her head against the ground multiple times, and standing over her with a baseball bat and threatening to kill her.
“If you tell anyone or the police, I’ll kill you,” Blanton allegedly told the victim, according to court documents.
Texts messages made available in the court documents reveal the victim told friends she feared for her life.
“I am scared for my life,” the victim wrote. “If I die tonight or end up missing, Michael did it.”
She was treated at Tobey Hospital the following day for a severe concussion and other injuries.
Blanton was initially arrested and charged for that incident, and has since been charged in connection with an alleged attack in November. He will remain in custody until at least March 27, when he is scheduled for another court appearance.
At Monday’s dangerousness hearing, Blanton’s attorney, Drew Segadelli, questioned whether his client should be considered a danger given that the woman continued living with him after the first alleged attack.
Blanton, who was a first-term selectman in Bourne, ran for the 3rd Barnstable District State Rep. seat in 2016, losing to former State Rep. Matt Patrick in the Democratic primary.
He was planning on running for re-election in May.