Maine Department of Public Safety

COMMUNICATOR

Compiled by Steve McCausland, Spokesman

May 18, 2012

 

State Police say a 14 year old boy was killed Thursday afternoon when the car he was driving overturned on a dirt section of Barnes Road in Albion. Troopers said Ethan Evers of Albion was not wearing a seat belt and died when he was thrown from the car. Three other teenage boys, ages 15, 16, and 17 from Albion escaped serious injury. Evers did not have a driver’s license and was not the original driver of the car.  Evers had asked one of the other teens who was driving if he could operate the vehicle and the other teen then switched places. The crash took place shortly afterwards at about 6 p.m.  The names of the other teens are being withheld as troopers decide whether any of them will face charges for allowing Evers to drive.

 

Maine's forty newest police officers have graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. The officers received their badges following eighteen weeks of study and training at the Vassalboro training facility.  Maine Attorney General William Schneider told the graduates, “The Maine Criminal Justice Academy consistently turns outstanding young cadets into modern law enforcement officers whose courage, commitment, and daily efforts keep our citizens safe. These are Maine’s finest; and I am pleased to join the Academy staff, families and friends in welcoming them to our law enforcement community.”  Many of the new officers will be begin patrolling immediately, including during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. The officers attended the Maine Law Enforcement Officers Memorial ceremony on Thursday.

 

Steve Bunker of Farmington, who retired from state service last year, has received national honors for his work training emergency dispatchers in Maine.  Bunker served 25 years with the Maine Department of Public Safety and was one of three people to receive the Dr. Jeff Clawson Leadership Award by the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch.  The award came with a $500 check, which Bunker gave to assist a police dispatcher in northern Maine who lost all of her possessions in a house fire. Bunker was the first director of Maine’s E911 bureau.

The highway death toll now stands at 47 for the year compared to 30 deaths at this time a year ago – a 53% increase.  Maine has had four exceptional safe years on the roads and last year was the safest year since 1959. State Police say six people were killed on Maine roads last weekend -- in Newfield where two men were killed Friday night, in Sanford, Northport and Fairfield on Saturday; and in Windsor on Sunday afternoon. Thursday’s death of a teenage boy in Albion brought the death toll to 47. The Bureau of Highway Safety says speed was a factor in 28 of the 47 highway deaths and alcohol was involved in 15 of the fatal crashes.

MAINE’S LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MEMORIAL

Troopers and other Maine law enforcement officers standing at attention Thursday to honor Maine’s 83 officers who have died in the line of duty. No new names were added this year.