After arrest for bank break-in, actor Rip Torn to seek rehab

SALISBURY — Actor Elmore “Rip� Torn was arraigned in Bantam Superior Court Monday after a bizarre incident in Salisbury Friday night, Jan. 29.

The incident will lead the Lakeville resident, who has been arrested three times since 2004 for drunk driving, to seek help. His attorney announced in court on Monday, Feb. 1, that Torn will go for alcohol rehabilitation as soon as this week. It is believed that he was intoxicated during the incident at the bank.

At 9:40 p.m. Jan. 29, Troop B in North Canaan was notified of an alarm at the Litchfield Bancorp branch at 326 Main St., which is not far from the home Torn and his family have owned in town for many years.

 The bank branch is on the first floor of a Victorian-style former home that has been converted to a business.

When a state trooper arrived on the scene, he found a window at the rear of the bank building broken. Inside, Torn was walking around, carrying a loaded handgun. Police said he was obviously intoxicated.

The Texas-born actor, who turns 79 on Saturday, allegedly told the trooper he was going to jail.

His attorney, Thomas Waterfall, indicated in court that Torn believed he was in his own home, and that the trooper was an intruder.

Torn was arrested and taken to Troop B for processing. Bond was set at $100,000, but Torn refused to post it, electing instead to spend the weekend in the holding cell there. That would assure him an arraignment on the first available court date.

Torn appeared in court late Monday morning. He did not enter a plea on charges of first-degree burglary, third-degree criminal mischief, first-degree trespassing, carrying a firearm while intoxicated and possession of a firearm without a permit.

He is due back in court Feb. 17.

Torn was arrested twice previously in New York state for driving while intoxicated. He was acquitted on the first offense, and received a reduced sentence on the second one, given a fine and a 90-day license suspension.

In December 2008, Torn was stopped by Connecticut State Police across the street from the Litchfield Bancorp branch. He had been driving home from The White Hart Inn in the center of Salisbury. His Christmas tree was tied to the top of the Subaru and he was driving very slowly along the road shoulder. He failed field sobriety tests.

Following that incident, he received probation and was ordered by the court to attend a brief alcohol education program.

Television news broadcasts airing Monday showed Torn entering Bantam Court in handcuffs in police custody. He left, after posting bail, with two men. Reporters peppered him with questions in both instances and camera shutters clicked repeatedly. Torn waved reporters off and repeatedly said “thank you� before ducking into a car.

When asked where he was headed, one of the men with him said he was going to be with his family. In addition to his home in Lakeville, Torn has a residence in New York City.