WASHINGTON – A Veterans Administration Medical Center police sergeant and his wife were arrested yesterday in connection with an April 2 assault on her teenage son at their home in rural Washington.

Anthony Guthrie, 47, who is also a former Washington police chief, and his wife, Karin Guthrie, 45, were charged with simple assault in the 3 a.m. incident, according to Washington Police Chief Steven Marshall.

"The boy was home asleep when they woke him with questions about items in his room. It is alleged that Mrs. Guthrie slapped the boy a couple of times across the face with a belt," Marshall said.

Mr. Guthrie is accused of hitting the 16-year-old boy in the leg with a police-style flashlight after he and his wife arrived home from working the evening shift at the medical center in Manchester, Marshall said.

Mrs. Guthrie is also charged with endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly watching her husband assault her son and not taking any steps to report it, Marshall said. The teen is Mr. Guthrie's stepson.

"The indication is the boy just submitted in hopes of getting it over quicker," Marshall said.

Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie were both released yesterday on $5,000 personal recognizance bail, Marshall said.

The teen, who was not identified by police, missed two days of school.

"It is alleged his parents kept him home because the bruising and lacerations were visible," Marshall said.

Marshall said the teen disclosed what happened to a school official who notified the state Division for Children, Youth and Families.

"DCYF felt the danger was of a serious enough level to have him removed and placed in foster care," Marshall said.

Mr. Guthrie was police chief in Washington, a Sullivan County town of about 1,150 people in western New Hampshire, from 1995 to 1999, Marshall said.

Mr. Guthrie is a sergeant in the Veterans Administration Medical Center police department, and Mrs. Guthrie works in the housekeeping department at the hospital.

They have both been placed on administrative leave, according to hospital spokesman James Thompson.

"They are on administrative leave pending our looking into this," Thompson said.

Administrative leave is generally paid leave, he said.

The Guthries could not be reached for comment last night.

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