News Release

On Friday, June 14, 2024, the Maine State Police Central Field Troop executed a drug search warrant at the residence of 31-year-old Caleb Woodward and 34-year-old Ryann Kenny at 51 Flatt Road in Knox. Attention was brought to the residence after Woodward’s arrest following a traffic stop the morning of June 14th. Drugs were seized during the traffic stop which gave probable cause to investigating Troopers to search his home. In addition to 30 grams of fentanyl, Troopers located crystal methamphetamines, Crack Cocaine, and 10 different unprescribed pills, including suboxone, oxycodone, and Xanax. Troopers further seized two firearms. Three minor children reside in the residence. The Department of Health and Human Services was notified as a result of the investigation. Woodward and Kenny were transported to the Knox County Jail.

*Please contact the jail for booking photos

Caleb Woodward was charged with the following offenses:

• Aggravated Trafficking of Schedule W Drugs Fentanyl
• Furnishing Schedule W Drugs, Methamphetamines
• Unlawful Possession of Schedule W Drugs Cocaine Base
• Unlawful Possession of Schedule W Drugs Suboxone
• Unlawful Possession of Schedule W Drugs Oxycodone
• Unlawful Possession of Schedule Z Drugs
• Endangering the Welfare of a Child
• Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person

Ryann Kenny was charged with the following offenses:

• Aggravated Trafficking of Schedule W Drugs Fentanyl
• Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person
• Endangering the Welfare of a Child

In the early morning hours of Saturday, June 15, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to a report of a domestic violence incident at a residence on Russell Avenue in Auburn that resulted in an officer involved shooting. Please see the attached remarks from an afternoon news conference that provided a timeline of events.

*The Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit is investigating the underlying criminal conduct, and the Office of the Attorney General is investigating the officer involved shooting.  

Officer Involved Shooting Investigation (Auburn).pdf

On Friday, June 14, 2024, at approximately 2:18 PM, the Maine State Police and Limington Fire Department responded to the area of 419 Sokokis Avenue in Limington for a car crash involving a school bus. Troopers arrived on scene and discovered that the school bus had been heading southbound on Sokokis Avenue prior to the crash. As the bus approached Axelsen Road, it began to slow down. The vehicle behind the bus, a 4-door sedan, failed to slow down in time and crashed into the back side of the bus.  The damage to both the bus and the sedan was severe and both vehicles had to be towed from the scene.

Troopers also learned that the occupants of the sedan, two white males who appeared to be in their 20’s or 30’s, exited the sedan and fled the scene on foot, heading into the woods nearby.  A K-9 track was conducted and an article of clothing belonging to one of the suspects was located. However, the males are still at large.

The school bus was transporting 13 children at the time of the accident. No children were reported to have been injured during the incident. The bus driver was also not injured.

This is an ongoing investigation with criminal charges pending.

On Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at approximately 9:29 AM, Troopers responded to a single vehicle, single occupant crash on Avenue Road in Levant. Initial investigation indicates the driver of the vehicle, 38-year-old Jennifer Archie of Bar Harbor was traveling westbound when she lost control of her 2010 Toyota Corolla and struck a telephone pole causing the car to catch fire. The driver was ejected from the car. It is unknown if she was wearing her seatbelt at the time. The driver was transported to Eastern Maine Medical Center with life threatening injuries. Avenue Road was shut down for several hours but has since re-opened. Levant Fire, Central Maine Power and Northen Light Ambulance Service assisted on scene. Speed appears to be a factor in the crash. The crash remains under investigation.

On Friday, June 14, 2024, at 10:00 AM the annual Maine State Police Awards Ceremony will take place at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro.

The ceremony is held to recognize past and present members of the Maine State Police, both civilian and sworn members, and citizens of Maine who have gone above and beyond what is expected of them.  

The awards include Trooper of the Year, Legendary Trooper, Leadership Award, Bravery Award, Wounds Received, Special Award of Commendation and Colonel’s Award.   

The stories behind the awards are inspiring. The following are just a few.

• A Trooper whose actions helped save the life of a women in mental crisis on the Joshua Chamberlain Bridge.

• Two civilians whose actions helped stop and restrain a person with a knife.

• A Trooper who demonstrated bravery for his actions to stop a violent domestic assault and prevent further serious injury to the victim.

• Troopers will be recognized for their life saving actions during the Lewiston shooting.

• Dispatchers and Officers will be recognized for their actions during the shooting incident on I-295 in Yarmouth.

• Scholarships will be awarded to three young women in Maine with an interest in pursuing a career in law enforcement.

Friday, June 14, 2024, at 10 a.m.

Maine Criminal Justice Academy  

15 Oak Grove Road

Vassalboro, Maine

On Friday, June 7, 2024, at approximately 8: 45 AM, members of the Maine State Police alongside the Office of Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP) executed a search warrant at 424 Maplecrest Road in Parsonsfield.  The community made multiple complaints to the Parsonsfield town office, which passed the complaint on to Maine OCP and the State Police about the high likelihood of a marijuana growing operation.  The investigation determined that the residence had been home to an illegal marijuana grow since March of 2022.  Unsafe living conditions, fire hazards, and harmful pesticides were found alongside the intricate marijuana lighting and hydroponic grow systems. More than 2500 marijuana plants were discovered with most of them being mature budding plants. Per Maine statute, an adult may possess up to 6 mature marijuana plants for recreational use and 6 more mature plants for medical use.  The marijuana was all seized and destroyed.  No arrests have been made yet. The investigation continues.

On Friday, June 7, 2024, the Maine State Police responded to the report of a possible domestic violence event occurring at a home in Hiram. Trooper Zachary Fancy responded to the scene. Upon his arrival, Trooper Fancy entered the residence where he was confronted by a man who pointed a firearm at him. Trooper Fancy fired his weapon and struck the individual. The man was identified as 39-year-old Steven Nelson of Hiram. The Office of the Attorney General will investigate the law enforcement use of force and the Maine State Police Major Crimes South will complete a criminal investigation. Trooper Fancy is being placed on administrative leave which is standard practice in any officer involved shooting in Maine.

On June 1, 2024, at approximately 12:00 PM, Limerick Fire/EMS responded to a residence on North Shore Drive in Limerick for an injured child. EMS transported the child and later notified the Maine State Police Southern Field Troop.

Investigators learned that 6-year-old Lucy Morgan received an unintentional injury from her 10-year-old brother while they were playing outside. Investigators learned that the aluminum shaft of a badminton racquet had become dislodged from the wooden handle, causing the shaft to strike the girl in the head, piercing through her skull. She was transported to SMHC in Sanford and then via Life flight to Maine Medical Center in Portland. On June 5, 2024, Lucy died from her injuries.

The children and their parents are from Stockholm, New Jersey, and were vacationing in Maine at the time of the incident.

The Maine State Police would like to extend their deepest condolences to the Morgan family.

During the late hours of June 5, 2024, Troopers from Troop I received a call from an elderly female driver who reported that she had lost her purse while traveling southbound on I-95 between Pittsfield and Augusta. The driver had to pull over due to a medical emergency, and in the process, her purse was lost on the side of the interstate. Trooper Logan Roberts, with the assistance of his patrol K-9 Geno, determined the area the female had been and initiated an article search. Demonstrating their teamwork and dedication, Trooper Roberts and Geno were able to locate the purse, which was found untouched on the side of the interstate in Pittsfield. The recovered purse was promptly returned to its grateful owner. This incident showcases just one of the many effective utilizations of K-9 teams.

On Thursday, June 6, 2024, at approximately 12:00 PM, Maine State Police responded to a report of a tractor trailer unit roll over on Rt. 11 in T8 R5. The caller reported that the driver of the tractor trailer was trapped in the cab and was injured. Troopers responded to the scene along with emergency crews from Island Falls, Masardis, and Ashland Fire Departments. The Maine Warden Service also responded to assist. The initial investigation determined that the truck drifted off the roadway rolling onto the driver’s side. The driver, 74-year-old Timothy Folsom of Ludlow was extricated from the truck and transported to Houlton Regional Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation into the cause of the crash is still ongoing. Rt. 11 was shut down for approximately one hour.