SALEM – A Lynn woman and a Lynn man were indicted Wednesday afternoon on separate cases involving drunken driving, kidnapping and attempted murder charges by an Essex County grand jury.Melvin Santiago, 34, whose last known address was the homeless shelter at 100 Willow St., Lynn, stands charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, assault and battery as well as two counts of violating a court restraining order.Charges stem from an incident with his 43-year-old ex-girlfriend on or about Feb. 8 and Feb. 12 when he allegedly went to her Kingsley Terrace home at night, violating a restraining order. At some point during the encounter he allegedly violently beat and choked her, causing her to pass out.The next morning, she told Santiago she was going to the store; he agreed, but only if he could accompany her.The two walked to Cal’s News on Central Avenue where she told him not to return to the apartment and she went to the homeless shelter and sought help from a domestic violence advocate.Santiago was arrested a week later on a warrant, but not before he allegedly called her on her cell phone, in violation of the court order.The indictments handed up by the grand jury now move the case from Lynn District Court to Salem Superior Court.In the meantime, Santiago remains held at the Middleton Jail without bail.Assistant District Attorney Kim Faitella is prosecuting the case for the commonwealth.Also indicted:Shelley King, 48, of 41 Millard Ave., charged with operating a motor vehicle while drunk, a fifth offense, operating under the influence of alcohol after suspension for drunken driving and operating a motor vehicle reckless stems from her arrest in Lynn on Jan. 26.According to reports, King was arrested shortly at 6 p.m., after she allegedly crashed her 2004 Mitsubishi into the front of Lazy Dog Restaurant in Wyoma Square. No one was injured.Police responding to the scene said they found a Coors Light beer can in her car and that she smelled of alcohol.King was driving while her license was under suspension for drunken driving, police said.Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Kirshenbaum is assigned to prosecute the case for the commonwealth.Indictments are not an indication of guilt. Rather, a grand jury found sufficient evidence to warrant a jury trial in Superior Court, allowing for a more severe punishment.
