News Release

The Maine State Police would like to thank Vermont State Police Colonel Matthew Birmingham and the New England State Police Administrator’s Conference (NESPAC) for conducting an independent review of the Maine State Police After Action Review (AAR) of the Lewiston Tragedy.  We greatly appreciate the time and work they dedicated to reviewing our AAR and supporting documents to achieve the most comprehensive feedback possible. 

The NESPAC partnership has served the New England State’s well in a variety of collaborations from resource sharing, specialized training and most notably the response to the Lewiston tragedy on October 25, 2023. The Maine State Police truly appreciate the opportunity to utilize the independent review’s feedback to further clarify our After-Action Review. We know that providing detailed information reference to our response can help our fellow Mainers with their own personal journey to wellness and recovery.

Colonel Ross and his team look forward to utilizing all of the feedback detailed in the commission’s report, our own after-action report and the attached independent review to start the implementation phase of this process. Continued training, policy review and collaboration with partner agencies from across the first responder spectrum is imperative and will be ongoing.

The Department of Public Safety and the Maine State Police honor all of the victims, their friends and family by staying “Lewiston Strong”.  

On Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at approximately 6:29 AM, the Waterville Police Department responded to the parking lot of Mount Joseph at Waterville at 7 Highwood Street for a report of multiple gunshots. Responding Waterville police officers located a deceased male inside a vehicle. Witnesses reported seeing a black Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck leaving the scene and were able to provide a license plate number to the officers. Area police agencies were alerted to be on the lookout for the vehicle. At approximately 8:55 AM, Clinton Police Chief Rusty Bell located the vehicle and driver 53-year-old Richard Hatt of Clinton in Clinton. The Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit Central and Evidence Response Technicians responded to the scene to interview witnesses and process the scene. Major Crimes and Waterville Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The victim of the shooting was 47-year-old Stephen Killam of Fairfield. Killam and Hatt were known to each other. The deceased will be transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta where an autopsy will be performed on Wednesday. Richard Hatt was arrested and charged with Murder. He has been transported to the Kennebec County Jail. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Waterville Police Department or the Maine State Police.

The Maine State Police and Waterville Police Department are investigating a shooting that happened on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at approximately 6:30 AM on Highwood Street in Waterville. An adult male is deceased. Major Crimes Unit Central Detectives are interviewing witnesses and Evidence Response Technicians are processing the scene. There is no danger to the public. We anticipate having additional information later this afternoon pending next of kin notification and progress of the investigation.

On Saturday, October 12, 2024, at approximately 1:15 AM, Troop G received reports of a wrong way driver traveling southbound in the northbound lanes near mile marker 16 in Wells. Troopers, along with York and Kittery Police immediately responded to the area. York Police were able to locate the vehicle, a white Chevy Equinox, traveling southbound in the northbound lanes near mile marker ten. York PD along with members from Troop G were able to successfully stop the vehicle near mile marker six in York. Prior to police locating the vehicle, a passing motorist crashed near mile marker eleven northbound while attempting to avoid the wrong way driver. The victim of that crash did not sustain any injuries. The wrong way driver, later identified as 58-year-old Timothy Willis of Glastonbury, CT was arrested and charged with Operating Under the Influence. The incident remains under investigation.

On Thursday, October 10, 2024, at approximately 10:00 AM, Troopers from the Southern Field Troop learned that Deputies from York County Sheriff’s Office were pursuing 23-year-old Garrett Littlefield of Alfred in a motor vehicle pursuit.  Littlefield has a suspended license, was operating a stolen vehicle, presumed to be under the influence, and had multiple felony warrants out for his arrest.  In York County, this pursuit took place in Acton and Newfield, along the Maine/New Hampshire border with Littlefield crossing in and out of Maine. Initially, Littlefield was driving a maroon 1986 Chrysler LeBaron in Acton that was stolen from a residence in Acton when Deputies were able to deploy spike mats and successfully disable the vehicle. Littlefield then fled on foot before stealing another vehicle, a blue 2014 Ford F-150 from a nearby residence. Now operating the Ford pickup truck, Littlefield was pursued for a short time before being lost on back roads. Multiple law enforcement agencies within Cumberland and Oxford County were notified and monitored roads for Littlefield in this truck. Citizens from the public began calling in traffic complaints on this truck now on Rt. 302 in Bridgton, heading north. Law enforcement units canvassed the area but were not successful in locating him. The last known location at the time was Rt. 117 in Bridgton, headed towards Harrison. At approximately 1:00 PM, a Trooper set up on Rt. 121 in Otisfield watching for the blue Ford pickup that Littlefield was last known to be operating.  While monitoring traffic, he observed a black Chevy pickup truck blow through a stop sign at over 100 MPH. The Trooper started a pursuit with this vehicle on Rt. 121 into Casco. It was presumed at this point that Littlefield ditched the Ford F-150 and stole a third vehicle. (The Ford F-150 was later located a short distance from a dealership on Main Street in Oxford where the Chevy truck was stolen.)

Another Trooper was set up to deploy spike mats at the intersection of Rt. 121 and Rt. 11 in Casco, which was the direction the pursuit was headed. This spike deployment was successful, and the truck continued southbound on Rt. 121 until at least 2 tires fell off and the truck went into a ditch.  Littlefield and his female passenger 22-year-old Shantel Rodriguez of Biddeford then fled on foot. Rodriguez was quickly apprehended, but Littlefield ran into a wooden area.  

The Maine State Police were assisted by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, the Maine Warden Service, and Maine Forest Service searching the wooded area, but efforts were unsuccessful. 

At approximately 5:20 PM, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office received complaints of a large dump truck traveling north on Rt. 302 in Bridgton driving erratically and at excessive speeds. Deputies attempted to stop the dump truck, but the operator eluded police. The operator of the dump truck came to a stop at the Big Apple gas station on Rt. 302 in Bridgton. He then got out of the dump truck and attempted to strongarm a couple out of their green 2022 Subaru Outback at the gas pump. The couple was not injured. Police were already on scene and were able to quickly take the operator of the dump truck into custody.  The operator was confirmed to be Garrett Littlefield. (It was later learned that the Littlefield had stolen the dump truck from a new housing development off of Hemlock Road in Casco.) At the time of her apprehension Rodriquez was transported to the hospital for evaluation and then later transported to the Cumberland County Jail where she was charged with Assault on a Police Officer, Assault on a Police K-9, Refusing to Submit, and Violation of Conditions of Release Littlefield was also transported to the hospital for evaluation and later transported to the Cumberland County Jail. He is charged with Eluding, Failure to Stop, Reckless Conduct with a Dangerous Weapon, Driving to Endanger, Theft by Unauthorized Taking, Operating While Under Suspension and Violations of Conditions of Release.

The Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit Central and the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a stabbing that occurred shortly before 3:00 AM on Friday, October 11, 2024, at a residence at 482 Madawaska Road in Palmyra. The adult male suffered serious injuries. He was transported to Sebasticook Valley Hospital in Pittsfield and later transported Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor where he is listed in critical condition. The identity of the injured male is not being released at this time. The road was closed for much of the day while Detectives conducted interviews and Evidence Response Technicians processed the scene. There is no known danger to the public. Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the stabbing. Additional information will be released when it becomes available.

The Maine State Police and the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office are investigating an incident that occurred shortly before 3:00 AM on Friday, October 11, 2024, on Madawaska Road in Palmyra. The road is currently closed to traffic. Please avoid the area. Currently, we do not have a timeframe as to how long the road will be closed. At this time there is no known danger to the public. Additional information will be released when it’s available.

The Maine State Police and Fire Marshal’s Office have made an arrest in the arson related death of 23-year-old Lacey Tidswell of Mexico. The fire occurred on the morning of September 26^th in the town of Mexico. On Friday night October 4, 2024, 23-year-old Elijah Cowper of Mexico was arrested and charged with Arson and Murder. Cowper was already being held at the York County Jail on an unrelated charge. Cowper is expected to make an initial appearance at 3:00 PM today.

On Sunday, October 6, 2024, shortly before 7:00 AM, Bath Police responded to 10 Crawford Drive in Bath for the reports of a shooting. Upon arriving on scene officers from the Bath and Brunswick Police Departments and Deputies from the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office located two adult women suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite lifesaving efforts both women were pronounced deceased on scene. The suspect initially was reported having fled the scene following the shooting. The Maine State Police Tactical Team was called and located the suspect deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the residence at 10 Crawford Drive. The adult women have been identified as 58-year-old Lisa Bailey and her daughter 32-year-old Jennifer Bailey of Bath. The suspect is 66-year-old Michael Bailey of Bath. He was married to Lisa and father of Jennifer. The deceased have been transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta where autopsies will be performed. The Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit and the Bath Police Department continue to investigate the incident to piece together the timeline of events. If you have any information, please reach out the State Police Major Crimes at 207-624-7143 or the Bath Police Department at 207-443-8339.

On September 30, 2024, at 7:00 PM, Troop I and Northern Field Troopers responded to a motorcycle vs. moose crash at mile marker 240 southbound in T2 R9. 50-year-old Anand Sreedharan of Princeton, NJ, was traveling southbound when a moose crossed into his lane and was struck by his motorcycle. Sreedharan was ejected from the motorcycle and ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The moose was also deceased. The Maine State Police was assisted by multiple agencies. The crash remains under investigation.