MANCHESTER — A man charged with speeding, for driving 70 mph in a 30 mph zone with a minor child in the front seat, told a judge Friday that he had a good reason for doing so.

Kevin O'Brien, 46, of 151 Village Circle Way, admitted speeding, but told Circuit Court-Manchester District Division Judge Gregory Michael there was a road rage incident with bikers and he was afraid, so he sped up to escape a confrontation.

A police prosecutor, noting O'Brien has previous convictions for speeding, as well as following too closely, conduct after an accident, and avoiding a traffic signal, requested a fine of $400 plus penalty assessment, for a total of $496.

Michael imposed the requested fine.

Brothers accused of assault

Steven Flattery, 24, of 81 Bow St., could enter no plea Friday in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division to a felony charge of first-degree assault. A probable cause hearing was set for Aug. 29 and the bail set following his arrest last month was continued at $20,000 cash/surety.

Flattery is accused of participating with his brother, Timothy, 24, in the assault of a man who was dating Timothy's ex-girlfriend. Police said the alleged victim, who was awakened in a Central Street apartment and assaulted, sustained an orbital bone fracture, nasal fracture and bruises and abrasions. The man told police he was punched and kicked 20 to 40 times, part of the time while one attacker held him in a headlock. He was also hit in the chest with what was later determined to be a barbell. At the end of the assault, he said he was told to get his clothes and leave the apartment, which he did. Bail for Timothy Flattery, who was arraigned on the same charge July 12, is also $20,000 cash/surety. Both brothers are barred from contact with the alleged victim.

Arrested at court

Eric Boone, 38, of 267 Central St., complained at his arraignment Friday in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division on a criminal threatening charge that his girlfriend is crazy and makes false claims. “This is about the 10th time,” he said.

Trial was set for Nov. 5 and bail was continued at $1,000 personal recognizance, with conditions including no contact with the alleged victim and not returning to the Central Street address. Boone assured Judge Gregory Michael he understood the bail conditions.

But after leaving the courtroom, Boone was arrested for having violated his bail conditions by contacting his alleged victim after his arrest, but before his arraignment.

He will be held over the weekend and appear in Circuit Court again Monday.

Not a flight risk

Christopher Hull, 25, of 43 Walnut St., on Friday told Circuit Court-Manchester District Division Judge Gregory Michael he needed personal recognizance bail.

“So I can go home,” said Hull, who is unemployed and said he would lose his apartment and his belongings if he weren't released. “I'm not a flight risk,” he said.

Hull was charged with felony burglary and receiving stolen property after he was caught Thursday morning, in possession of a $2,500 spool of copper wire taken in a burglary at Burton Wire and Cable at 504 Silver St.

Police said a tipster called at 4:40 a.m. Thursday, reporting two men were “acting suspiciously” by a parked car outside 288 Auburn St. Officers arrived and detained one of the men, who was identified as Hull. A large blue spool of red-coated copper wire was found in the trunk of a car that police connected to Hull.

A police prosecutor requested bail of $10,000 cash/surety, saying Hull's record includes drug possession, transportation of drugs, assault, threatening and trespass, but Michael, saying it appears to him that Hull has a drug problem and urged Hull to address it, set bail at $1,500 cash/surety.

Knife had 4-inch blade

Glenn Undercuffler, 51, of 698 Auburn St., could enter no plea Friday in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division to a felony charge of criminal threatening.

Undercuffler is accused of threatening to stab a woman with a folding knife with a 4-inch blade that he had earlier taken out of his pocket.

Undercuffler asked Judge Gregory Michael for personal recognizance bail.

Michael said the affidavit supporting Undercuffler's arrest indicated both parties were rather impaired, and nobody knew where the knife actually was because it was under some clothing, but a knife was involved in the threat. As a result, he said, some amount of cash/surety bail was in order. Michael set bail at $1,500 cash/surety, far lower than the prosecution's requested $7,500.