Couple charged with ‘bath salts’ robbery

A Springfield couple is facing felony charges for allegedly robbing a local woman of “bath salts” that she had traveled to New Hampshire to purchase before the couple “dumped” her out of their car onto the side of a road.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20151201/NEWS02/151209967

Published December 1, 2015 in the Rutland Herald Couple charged with ‘bath salts’ robbery By ERIC FRANCIS CORRESPONDENT WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A Springfield couple is facing felony charges for allegedly robbing a local woman of “bath salts” that she had traveled to New Hampshire to purchase before the couple “dumped” her out of their car onto the side of a road. Erica Sykie, 31, pleaded innocent to a single count of assault and robbery recently in White River Junction court. Authorities were unable to locate Sykie’s housemate Trevor Augustinowicz, 25. A warrant for his arrest was issued. Sykie and Augustinowicz face a minimum of one year in jail and a potential maximum sentence of up to 20 years on the charge, if convicted. Springfield officers first learned of the alleged assault on the morning of Aug. 18. Cpl. Walter Morancy wrote in an affidavit filed with court that the boyfriend of the 43-year-old victim told police he had sent her to Walpole, N.H., to purchase $40 worth of bath salts. The victim, who police said “appeared disheveled and had been crying,” had visible scratches and bruises on her body and told officers she was “sore all over” after having allegedly been forced from the car. She told police she had been sitting in the front passenger seat next to Augustinowicz, who was driving, when Sykie, who was seated behind her, grabbed her and both of her assailants reached into her bra and removed the package containing the drugs. At that point, the car stopped and, despite her protests, the victim told police, Sykie and Augustinowicz pulled her out onto the ground and drove away. Morancy said another passenger in the car witnessed the robbery and residents at a nearby apartment complex heard the commotion when the woman was forcibly removed from the car. The witnesses all provided sworn statements to police. In addition to the new charge for which he has not yet been arraigned, Augustinowicz is awaiting trial on a felony charge of first-degree aggravated domestic assault and misdemeanor counts of attempted simple assault by menace, disorderly conduct, possession of a switchblade and violating a court-ordered condition of pretrial release, to all of which he entered innocent pleas earlier this year.