ROCKLAND — A Rockland man who threatened to harm a woman with a machete on November 17, 2016, in Rockland, will spend 42 months in jail.

Daniel Ruffin, 56, was convicted of domestic violence criminal threatening and was sentenced June 19 in Knox County Unified Court to five years in jail with all but 42 months suspended. He will also serve concurrent sentences of six months for obstructing the report of a crime, violating a condition of release and violating a protection from abuse order. A charge of aggravated assault was dismissed.

He will serve two years of probation after his release from jail.

Ruffin was arrested by Rockland police Nov. 17. Judge Susan Sparaco set Ruffin’s bail at $25,000 cash during his initial court appearance Nov. 18 in Knox County Unified Court.

According to the affidavit filed in court by Rockland Police, officers were dispatched to a domestic violence call around noon Nov. 17 on Park Street in Rockland. Rockland Deputy Police Chief, Chris Young, was the first officer to arrive on the scene and was flagged down by the victim in a parking lot near the apartment building where the assault took place.

The victim told Young that she had been assaulted by Ruffin and he had threatened her with a machete.

While the victim was safely inside her parked vehicle, three Rockland Police officers approached the apartment and took Ruffin into custody. Inside the apartment, police located a machete that was on top of a radiator heater, according to the court document.

The victim told police that during the attack, she was able to get to her cell phone and call 911, but when Ruffin realized that she was calling for help, he grabbed the phone, while she continued to scream hoping that dispatch would hear her. She was able to break free from Ruffin and escape from the apartment before police arrived.

She showed police several bruises on her arms and chest area and said that Ruffin has been abusing her constantly the past few weeks, trying to strangle her and telling her he would kill her, according to the affidavit.

Ruffin was taken to the Knox County Jail in Rockland and was held without bail until his arraignment.

Reach Sarah Shepherd at news@penbaypilot.com