October 2025

On Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at approximately 8:00 AM, a tractor trailer unit, driven by 41-year-old Kristofer Higgins of Baileyville, was traveling on the westbound on-ramp of I-395 when the driver failed to negotiate the turn. His vehicle rolled over taking out the center portion of the guardrail and striking a Penobscot Country Sheriff’s Office cruiser which was traveling eastbound at the time.

The cruiser was driven by Sgt. Gary Decker. Sgt. Decker was transported to Eastern Maine Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Higgins were transported to Eastern Maine Medical Center with minor injuries. The tractor trailer was carrying diesel fuel which did cause a spill. DEP is on scene now cleaning it up.

The westbound on-ramp from Wilson Street and the eastbound off-ramp to Wilson Street are closed and expected to be for several hours while the cleanup continues.

On Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at approximately 10:15 AM, Cpl. Kyle Wells was traveling southbound on Route 35 in Lyman when he observed a Maine Water company truck operating erratically. The truck was swerving in its lane and exceeding the speed limit. After observing the poor operation, Cpl. Wells activated his emergency lights and the utility truck took off at a high rate of speed. At one point the utility truck stopped completely and then proceeded to take off again toward route 111. The pursuit continued westbound on Route 111 in Lyman where the operator came to a complete stop on the side of the road. As Cpl. Wells was exiting his cruiser to speak to the operator, the vehicle accelerated in reverse and struck the State Police cruiser putting it out of commission. Cpl. Wells was not injured. The vehicle took off towards Alfred where it was intercepted by the York County Sheriff’s Office and a pursuit began. The truck ended up crashing at the intersection of Kennebunk Pond and South Waterboro Road in Lyman. The truck was found to have been stolen and the operator, 39-year-old Ricky Cooper of Saco was suspended and on four sets of bail conditions. Cooper was transported to Maine Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries. Upon release, Cooper will be arrested for Eluding an Officer, Reckless Conduct with a dangerous weapon, Violating Conditions of Release, and theft. The incident remains under investigation.

On Saturday, February 10, 2024, at approximately 9:10 AM, a 2010 Silver GMC passenger van, operated by 28-year-old Luis Mayancela-Yunga of Biddeford, with four passengers, was traveling south on The Arnold Trail Road in Eustis when the driver lost control of the van and started skidding sideways on the roadway. A 2016 black Toyota SUV operated by 26-year-old Jean-Francois Brassard of Sherbrooke, Quebec, was traveling northbound and was unable to avoid the van that was in his lane.  Both vehicles collided. Both drivers were not injured. Two passengers in the van were transported to local hospitals with critical injuries. Both are expected to survive. Brassard was wearing his seatbelt. All five occupants in the van were not. Speed and road conditions at the time are considered factors in the crash. The roadway was shut down for several hours.

If anybody has information to this case, please contact State Police at 207-624-7076.

The Maine State Police were assisted by Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, Boarder Patrol, and local Fire and Rescue.

On Wednesday, February 14, 2024, at approximately at 4:05 AM, the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department received a complaint of a disturbance at 1089 Woodman Hill Road in Minot. Deputies responded to the residence and during an altercation a Sheriff’s Deputy was shot in the leg by a male subject. The Deputy was transported to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston where he will undergo surgery. The Deputy is expected to survive. Following the altercation a fire was started at the residence. Crews from area fire departments responded to put out the fire. The male subject is in custody and there is no threat to the public. State Police and Fire Marshal investigators will be working on scene throughout the morning collecting evidence and conducting interviews. Additional information will be released at a later time.

On Wednesday, February 14, 2024, at approximately 4:05 AM, the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint of a disturbance at 1089 Woodman Hill Road in Minot. Deputies responded to the residence and found the home engulfed in flames. Deputies were in the process of escorting the homeowners from the residence when they were fired upon by a male subject at the end of the driveway. Androscoggin Sergeant 43-year-old Randy Williams was struck by gunfire as were several vehicles. Androscoggin Deputies and Mechanic Falls Officers who were responding to the scene confronted the gunman and were able to take him into custody on the roadway at the end of the driveway.

Androscoggin Deputies transported Sgt. Williams from the scene directly to Central Maine Medical Center in a Sheriff’s cruiser where he is currently being treated for a gunshot wound to his upper right leg. He is expected to survive. The homeowners were not injured.

The gunman has been identified as 42-year-old Corey Hamel of Minot. Hamel was staying at the residence. Hamel is a prohibited person on probation for three separate counts of violation of conditional release. Hamel was transported from the scene and was later charged with Aggravated Attempted Murder and Arson. Hamel will be arraigned on Friday, February 16, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at Lewiston District Court.

State Police and Fire Marshal Investigators will be on scene throughout the day and evening to process the scene.

On Wednesday, February 14, 2024, at approximately  5:30 AM, Troopers from the Central Field Troop executed a search warrant at 693 Canaan Road in Pittsfield. The search resulted in the seizure of 32 grams of Cocaine Base, 5.5 grams of Fentanyl, Oxycodone, 13lbs of processed marijuana, prescription pills, and firearms. The homeowner, 46-year-old Michael Wyllie was arrested for Aggravated Trafficking of Fentanyl, Cocaine Base, and Marijuana, Possession of Schedule W Drugs (Oxycodone), Four counts of Possession of Schedule Z Drugs, and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. 

43-year-old Jamie Ramsdell of that address, was arrested for Violating Conditions of Release, Unlawful Possession of Schedule W Drugs Fentanyl, Cocaine Base, and Suboxone. 47-year-old Jennifer Hight also of that address, was arrested for Unlawful Possession of Schedule W Drugs Fentanyl and Cocaine Base. 

All three were transported to the Somerset County Jail. Wyllie’s bail was set at $50,000 dollars. Ramsdell’s bail was set for $10,000 dollars, and Hight’s bail was set for $5,000 dollars. Please contact the jail for booking photos.

On Monday, February 19, 2024, at approximately 11:45 AM, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Maine State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Route 2 in New Sharon. Initial investigation indicates that the driver of a maroon 2007 Ford Focus was pulling out of Tuttles Auto Sales to turn left (eastbound) onto Route 2 when the driver of a gray 2022 Dodge Ram was unable to stop, striking the Ford Focus. The driver of the Ford Focus was pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger was transported via LifeFlight to Maine Medical Center with critical injuries. The driver of the Dodge Ram, 64-year-old Shawn Dunning of Jackman was not injured. The name of the deceased and injured passenger are not being released pending notification of next of kin. Route 2 was shut for approximately two hours. The roadway is now clear. The crash remains under investigation.

On Monday, February 19, 2024, at approximately 8:10 AM, the Waterville Police Department responded to a reported shooting outside a residence at 18 South Grove Street in Waterville. As a result of the shooting one person is deceased. A second person was shot at but ultimately they were not injured. The deceased was transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta where an autopsy is expected to be performed tomorrow. The Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit is assisting the Waterville Police Department with the investigation. There is no danger to the public. Additional information will be released as the investigation continues.

On Monday February 19, 2024, at approximately 4:03 PM, the Augusta Regional Communications Center started receiving 911 calls regarding a motor vehicle, operating erratically on Interstate 295 northbound in Freeport. Tr. Tyler Maloon was north of the offending vehicle and waited for the vehicle to approach.

Tr. Maloon located the vehicle, a Chevy pickup truck at 4:08 pm, near Exit 22 Northbound on 295. Tr. Maloon attempted to stop the vehicle utilizing his emergency lights and siren but the vehicle failed to stop. Tr. Maloon pursued the vehicle northbound and attempted to separate the offending vehicle from other motorists.

The vehicle came to a stop north of exit 28 on 295 and the male operator was found to be elderly, and suffering from a medical/mental health event. An adverse driving report will be filed with the State Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

Traffic in the area of mile marker 28 was backed up as a result of the erratic operator and subsequent pursuit. Troopers responded to two separate secondary crashes. The crashes involved 6 total vehicles and there were minor injuries. The road was limited to one lane for approximately 35 minutes while the vehicles were being removed. Assisting on scene was the Brunswick Police and Fire Departments, MaineDOT,  Atlantic Coast and Copp Motors.

On Monday, February 19, 2024, at approximately 7:17 PM, the Maine State Police responded to a crash in Saco, at mile marker 37 northbound, involving a tractor-trailer truck and two other vehicles. The initial investigation indicates that the operator of a Volvo S40 sedan, 53-year-old Deirdre Winberg of West Bath rear-ended a Jeep Compass. The Jeep was operated by 33-year-old Alicia Preston of Portland. The crash resulted in the Volvo spinning out and coming to a stop in the middle of the three lanes directly in front of a tractor-trailer truck resulting in a significant crash between those two vehicles. The jeep after being rear-ended was able to continue up the roadway stopping safely. The tractor-trailer truck belonging to, Three Lions Logistics Inc., of Andover Massachusetts, was operated by 36-year-old Norvel Jackson of Fairburn, Georgia. The tractor-trailer truck ended up through the median guard rail resulting in a closure of all three lanes northbound and the passing lane southbound for several hours. Troopers were able to keep northbound traffic moving in the break-down lane at all times. Winberg suffered critical injuries. She was transported to Maine Medical Center where she succumbed to her injuries. Preston was transported to Maine Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the tractor-trailer truck was not injured. The crash remains under investigation.