AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — An 18-year-old man accused of being in a car during a drive-by shooting in Maine that injured a 7-year-old girl was charged with assault Monday.

Gavin Loabe was arraigned as testimony in court alleged that he and an unidentified accomplice were involved in a Feb. 28 shooting that mistakenly injured Emahleeah Frost outside a Waterville apartment building, the Kennebec Journal reported.

Emahleeah was treated for the bullet lodged between her two vertebrae before being released last week from Maine Medical Center in Portland. Her family told officials they do not know why someone would have shot at their apartment.


But details in court Monday suggested Loabe and his accomplice were seeking to find and “hurt” a person only identified as “Mr. Vigue” for allegedly propositioning the defendant’s girlfriend for sex.

Lisa Whittier, the attorney appointed to represent Loabe, argued police did not have probable cause to bring a charge of aggravated assault against her client.

Loabe was being held Monday at the Kennebec County jail in Augusta after he was unable to make bail.

The shooting remains under investigation by local and state police and the Kennebec County District Attorney’s Office.