News Release

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.

On Thursday, June 6, 2024, at approximately 1:07 PM, the Maine State Police responded to a report of a car vs. motorcycle crash that occurred on West Ridge Road in Mars Hill. The initial investigation indicates that the operator of a 2006 Harley Davidson motorcycle was traveling southbound, and the driver of a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu was traveling northbound when the two vehicles met at a curve in the road and collided. The operator of the motorcycle, 50-year-old Lance Kierstead of Easton was seriously injured. He was transported to North Lights AR Hospital where he later died from his injuries. The driver of the sedan was 42-year-old Jamie Avery of Easton.  She was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. The crash remains under investigation.  

On Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at approximately 11:27 AM, the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office requested the Maine State Police Bomb Squad’s assistance as they were responding to potential unexploded ordinance at a private residence on High Street in West Paris. Sgt. Pescitelli along with Apprentice Technician Dan Murray arrived on scene and secured the item which was identified as a MK2 “pineapple” grenade. Utilizing x-ray imaging they observed characteristics consistent with a grenade still containing energetic material. The item was secured in the Bomb Squad’s possession for disposal at a later time. Oxford County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chasse talked to the caller who stated the item most likely came from a family member who served during WWII or the Korean War.

On Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at approximately at approximately 11:00 PM, Cpl. Garret Booth was traveling northbound on I-95 in Sidney when a 2019 Kia Optima operated by 34-year-old Keishaunna Tavares of San Diego, California, fell asleep, causing her foot to press on the accelerator and her vehicle to speed up uncontrollably rear-ending Cpl. Booth’s cruiser at a high rate of speed. Cpl. Booth sustained an arm injury and was taken to Maine General Medical Center in Augusta for evaluation. He has been released. Tavares was issued a citation for failing to maintain control of her motor vehicle. She was not injured.

The impact of the collision caused damage to both vehicles, both of which were towed from the scene.

Central Field Troop and Troop I were assisted on scene by: MDOT, Delta Ambulance, Sidney Fire/Rescue, and Ready Road Towing.

This crash remains under investigation.

On Tuesday, June 4, 2024, the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit obtained an arrest warrant for 23-year-old Aziayh Scott of Owls Head charging him with Manslaughter in connection to the death of the 22-month-old Quayshawn Wilson that occurred on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, in Thomaston. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta conducted an autopsy on Thursday, May 30, 2024, and ruled the cause of death was blunt force trauma and manner of death was homicide. Scott, who is originally from Louisianna, had recently moved to Maine and was living with his girlfriend and the child in Owls Head.  Detectives learned after going to the residence in Owls Head on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, the couple had returned to Louisianna. After learning this information, Maine State Police Detectives coordinated with Louisianna State Police and the U.S. Marshals Service Maine Violent Offender Task Force and Scott was arrested this morning, Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in the city of New Orleans. Scott was taken to Orleans Parish Prison in New Orleans and the process to extradite Scott back to Maine for the charge of Manslaughter will now begin. 

On June 1, 2024, at 03:10 AM, Chhoeunly Phoeung, 36 years old of Massachusetts, was driving a Mazda CV5 southbound on the Maine Turnpike when he left the roadway, striking several objects at the entrance to the State Police weigh station in Kittery. After crashing his vehicle, Phoeung walked into traffic on the Turnpike and was struck by a tractor-trailer unit. Phoeung was transported by ambulance to Portsmouth Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. State Police continue to investigate. 

On Monday, October 13, 2025, at approximately 6:12 AM, Troopers responded to the area of 389 Kelly Road in Stacyville for an ATV crash on a public way. The sole occupant of the ATV was 70-year-old Joyce Cummings of Stacyville. 

The preliminary investigation shows the ATV was traveling on the road when items began to fall off the back of the ATV. The ATV appeared to turn and crash. Cummings was thrown from the ATV. She was not wearing a helmet. She sustained severe injuries and was transported by LifeFlight to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor in critical condition.

The crash remains under investigation.

On Sunday, October 12, 2025, at approximately 9:20 AM, a Maine Game Warden came across a three-vehicle collision on Northfield Road (Route 192) in Northfield. The Warden reported the incident to the Bangor Regional Communications Center to coordinate medical aid and emergency response.  

The preliminary investigation indicates a 16-year-old female from Northfield was operating a Honda Accord traveling northbound on Route 192 and was in the process of making a left turn into her driveway. At the same time, 50-year-old Perin Yates of East Machias was driving a black GMC pickup truck traveling southbound on Route 192. The two vehicles subsequently collided while the Honda was positioned in the southbound lane.

Following the initial collision, the Honda spun out and struck a GMC pickup truck operated by 43-year-old Aaron Getchell of Whitneyville who was following behind. Getchell was not injured. Both Yates and the 16-year-old driver sustained injuries and were transported to a local hospital. The 16-year-old driver is in critical condition but is expected to survive.

The Maine Warden Service, Maine Marine Patrol and Washington County Sheriff’s Office and other emergency agencies assisted at the scene.  The crash was reconstructed by Maine State Police. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

On Sunday, October 12, 2025, at approximately 8:49 AM, the Washington Junction Road was temporarily shut down due to a personal injury crash involving two vehicles at the intersection of Poplar Lane and Washington Junction Road in Hancock.

The preliminary investigation indicates that a Kia, operated by 35-year-old Katrina Springer of Ellsworth took a left hand turn from Poplar Lane onto the Washington Junction Road and crashed into a Jeep, operated by 43-year-old Amy Richards of Ellsworth, traveling on the Washington Junction Road towards Ellsworth. Springer was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The 4 passengers in the Kia were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. Richards was charged with Operating under the Influence and Operating after Revocation. The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Hancock Fire Department, Sullivan Fire Department and DC Towing assisted on scene. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

On Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at approximately 7:00 PM, Maine State Police Major Crimes South Detectives arrested 36-year-old Christopher Knapp of Biddeford on an arrest warrant for the charge of Manslaughter.

The arrest stems from over a yearlong investigation into the death of a 5-week-old boy on June 20, 2024. On June 21, 2024, an autopsy was conducted at the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Augusta and the manner of death was ruled homicide. The cause of death is not being released at this time.

On October 7, 2025, the York County Grand Jury indicted Christopher Knapp charging him with Manslaughter. Knapp was transported to the York County Jail, was arraigned on October 9, 2025, and entered a “not guilty” plea. The Defendant is he is being held at the York County Jail in lieu of a $175,000 cash bail.