Camping trip goes horribly wrong, man charged with attempted murder

PEABODY – A local man was arraigned in Peabody District Court Thursday on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery and attempted murder.Eric Roberts, 32, of 14 Foster St., was arrested late Wednesday night after a camping trip with his girlfriend, Odessa Burkinshaw, 34, went terribly wrong.Burkinshaw told police she and Roberts had been camping in the woods when an argument arose. She said Roberts was intoxicated and became verbally abusive. He then began throwing burning pieces of firewood on top of the tent in which she sought refuge. After realizing the tent was inflammable, Roberts allegedly went inside the tent and began to physically assault Burkinshaw.The girlfriend told police Roberts threw her on the ground and she struck her head on a rock underneath the tent.According to Detective Peter Olson, Burkinshaw said she feared for her life and ran away, calling Peabody Police from her cell phone.Several officers reported to the scene, at which time they found Burkinshaw staggering from the woods on Martinack Road. They saw that she was crying and bleeding from the right side of her head and called an ambulance.Burkinshaw was taken to Salem Hospital. By the time an officer went to interview the alleged victim, she had checked herself out after receiving some medical treatment.Officers apprehended Roberts after a brief search through the woods. He was found running away from the campsite.The incident is being investigated by the Domestic Violence Unit.Roberts is expected back in Peabody District Court on Tuesday for a dangerousness hearing.He is being held without bail in Middleton.