Waterbury teen faces aggravated assault charge

February 4, 2023 | By Mike Donoghue | Correspondent 

A Waterbury Center teenager has pleaded not guilty in Vermont Superior Court to a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after threatening two family members, court records show.

Ebbe J. Lillis, 18, brandished a knife at one family member and subsequently threw it at another while at their home in Waterbury Center at about 10:20 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26, according to Vermont State Police.

In an affidavit filed in Vermont Superior Court in Barre, Trooper Ryan Riegler wrote that both individuals who were targets of Lillis’ actions said they experienced extreme fear in the situation. 

Court records describe how during the morning incident, Lillis bit and punched one family member. The other family member used pepper spray on Lillis before they both locked themselves in a bedroom to wait for state police to arrive. 

According to Riegler’s report to the court, damage during the incident included a smashed front glass door and a one-inch square chip to the marble kitchen countertop where the knife was thrown.

Police said they were told the teenager had previously undergone mental health counseling and had stopped taking medications prescribed to him. Court records show that family members explained Lillis stopped taking prescribed drugs upon turning age 18, and has since opted to self-medicate with psilocybin mushrooms and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Troopers brought Lillis to the state police barracks in Berlin where he was able to speak to an embedded mental health worker from Washington County Mental Health.

In addition to the aggravated assault charge, state police in the court affidavit said that it was appropriate to file criminal charges for domestic assault and for unlawful mischief for the property damage. The state's attorney's office declined during the arraignment to add those charges, records show. If convicted, Lillis could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison for the aggravated assault charge, according to court records.

Judge Kevin Griffin agreed to release Lillis on conditions including that he does not buy, possess or use regulated drugs, guns or other dangerous weapons. Lillis also was ordered not to threaten, abuse or harass his family members, and to stay away from their property.