Maine State Police

A Hiram man was killed in a crash in Lyman in the evening of Oct. 22. 

On Oct. 22, 2020, 11:45 p.m., Maine State Troopers from Troop A responded to a single vehicle into a tree in the area of 156 Clarks Woods Road in the town of Lyman. The driver, Aaron Mitchell, 36, of Hiram, was transported to Maine Medical Center with serious injuries and later died. Troopers believe his vehicle crossed the center line and struck a tree head on.  Speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors. Mr. Mitchell was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. We extend condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Mitchell.

Michael Bell, age 44, formerly of Leeds, Maine, was being investigated by Maine State Police for allegations of Gross Sexual Assault against a woman in Maine (name is not being released).

On Oct. 9, 2020, Androscoggin District Attorney’s Office reviewed the evidence in the case and granted a nationwide arrest warrant for Bell charging:  one count each of Unlawful Sexual Contact Class A and Class B four counts of Gross Sexual Assault Class A.  

Bell was located in Kankakee, Illinois but died shortly after being located by police due to an ongoing medical issue.

If you’ve been a victim of sexual abuse and want to talk to someone about it, please call the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services at 207-784-5272.

BREWER – Maine State Police, Brewer Police and Fire, along with MaineDOT responded to the scene of a construction accident that happened along I-395 in Brewer at the Wilson Street overpass bridge project.  At approximately 3:24 pm yesterday afternoon 2 construction workers were standing on a temporary wooden walkway on the overpass above the I-395 exit to Wilson Street.  They were removing cross bracing that connected the outer bridge beam to the beam beside it.  They had removed several braces when the outer bridge beam apparently twisted unexpectedly as the support was removed, this in turn caused the platform that they were standing on to shift out of the flange area and fall to the roadway below.  Both workers who were identified as a 19 Y.O. Garrett Mulligan and 56 Y.O. Darren Pelletier fell approximately 20 feet, landing on top of the walkway material.  Fortunately there were no vehicles immediately below the area as the men fell.  The pair suffered injuries and were taken by ambulance to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.
 
This construction site is part of a Maine Department of Transportation project to replace several interstate bridges. The contractor on this project is Wyman and Simpson out of Richmond who the injured men work. Work on the project was suspended, the off ramps were closed for several hours while the debris was removed and the site was made safe for traffic to resume.
   
Federal officials from the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) were contacted by the State Police, they are the lead investigating agency.
 

Troop D weekly activities for time October 12th to October 18th, 2020

On 10/14/2020 Tr. Belanger, and Cpl. Quintero stopped Clifford Sousa (45) of Gardiner on Water St in Randolph for speeding. Sousa was on probation and was found to be in possession of suboxone. SOUSA was arrested for possession of schedule W drugs and violating probation.

On 10/14/2020 Tr. Belanger stopped Daniel Wheelock (57) of West Gardiner for an expired inspection sticker on Maine Ave in Farmingdale. Wheelock had a suspended driver’s license and was charged with OAS.

On 10/17/2020 Tr. Belanger Cpl. Quintero, and Sgt. Couturier stopped Bethany Hasson-Meunier (31) of Oakland for an inadequate plate light on 295 mm 51 South. Hasson was found to be in possession of 5 grams of fentanyl, methamphetamines, and drug paraphernalia. Hasson was charged with Unlawful Trafficking in Schedule W Drugs, Unlawful Possession of Schedule W Drugs, and VCR.

# of School Visits conducted – 0

# of OUI Alcohol Arrests – 0

# of OUI Drug Arrests – 0

# of DV Arrests – 3

10-13-20

Trooper Dana Austin responded Hancock for a report of two lost hunters. The two hunters had gotten lost after shooting a deer. Trooper Austin located one of the hunters and stood by until the Maine Warden Service arrived. Warden Eric Rudolph located the other lost hunter and assisted him with getting him out of the woods. The hunter was checked out by a ambulance due to hyporthermia. Trooper Austin was assisted by Sergeant Jason Sattler.

10-14-20

Trooper Kim Sawyer summonsed Rodney Levesque (41) of Machias for Violating Conditions of Release after a traffic stop in Meddybemps for speed. He was in possession of Marijuana and his conditions were not to use or possess it.

10-15-20

Trooper Gavin Endre began investigating the theft of election signs in Trenton.

Trooper Miles Carpenter investigated a complaint of a political sign being driven over in Machiasport. 

10-17-20

Trooper Caleb McGary responded to a theft complaint in Orland where money was paid for services on a house and the work was not completed.  Investigation continues. 

A Massachusetts man was indicted by a Grand Jury for felony manslaughter charges for killing another motorist on I-295 earlier this year.

On Oct. 14, 2020, following several months of investigation, a Grand Jury indicted Nasser Tibaijuka, 42, of Waltham, Massachusetts, on a charge of Manslaughter, Class A. This charge is resulting from a fatal motor vehicle crash that occurred on July 3, 2020, in Topsham on I-295, where Mr. Tibaijuka struck and killed Joseph Fisher, 41, of Woolwich, while he was securing an item in his truck bed in the breakdown lane. Tibaijuka was arrested by New Hampshire State Police and extradited to Maine, where he was transported to Two Bridges Regional Jail and is awaiting arraignment.

Maine State Police will be conducting OUI saturation patrols and checkpoints in the Cumberland County throughout the month of October.

Troop D weekly activities for time September 28th to October 4th, 2020

On 9/29/2020 Tr. Belanger stopped Dylan Stevens (26) of Limestone on Rt. 3 in Belmont. Stevens had a suspended driver’s license and was charged with OAS.

On 9/29/2020 Tr. Belanger stopped Christopher Springer of Belmont on Rt. 3 in Belmont. Springer had a suspended driver’s license and was charged with OAS.

On 09/29/2020 Tr. Webber stopped a vehicle leaving Maritime Farms in Belmont.  The operator, Randy Fairbrother (40) of Prospect, was arrested on an outstanding warrant.   

On 9/29/2020 Trooper Belanger stopped Robert Cushman (30) of Belmont on Lincolnville Rd Belmont. Cushman had false attached plates and was charged with attaching false plates.

On 9/30/2020 Trooper Belanger stopped Zacahriah Bormet (21) of Belfast on Swan Lake Ave in Belfast. Bormet did not have a driver’s license and was charged with operating without a license.

On 9/30/2020 Trooper Belanger stopped Benjamin Watts (19) of Belfast on Swan Lake Ave in Belfast. Watts had a suspended registration and was charged with operating with a suspended reg.

On 9/30/2020 Trooper Belanger stopped Heather Walsh (39) of Thorndike on Swan Lake Ave in Belfast. Walsh had a suspended driver’s license and was charged with OAS.

On 10/1/2020 Tr. Dunn stopped Taylor Alley (38) of Dresden on Rt. 1 in Wiscasset and charged her with Operating with Expired License Over 90 days.

On 10/2/2020 Section 3 was attempting to apprehend William Nunn (25) of Monroe on a PFA violation warrant. Trooper Belanger observed Nunn pull into his driveway and positively identified him as he exited his truck in his yard and fled on foot into the field. An announcement and warning was given to Nunn, however he continued to attempt to flee on foot. K-9 Dallas was deployed and engaged in a pursuit of Nunn through a field then into the woods. K-9 Dallas apprehended Nunn until he was able to be secured in handcuffs and taken into custody. Nunn was charged with Operating After Revoked, Refusing to Submit, and taken on his PFA warrant.

On 10/2/2020 Tr Mattson and Tr Adams arrested William Beck (56) in Lincolnville on a warrant for failure to appear.  William was transported to Waldo County Jail.

On 10/3/2020 Tr. Harrington arrested Damien Watts (26) of Westbrook for OUI-Alcohol on I295 in Bowdoinham.  Mr. Watts had been  stopped for a traffic violation when indicators of impairment were observed.   SFST’s were conducted roadside followed by and intoxilyzer test where he tested above the legal limit.

On 10/4/2020 Tr. Harrington charged Kristen Veayo (25) for operating after suspension on I95 in Augusta as result of a traffic stop.

# of School Visits conducted – 0

# of OUI Alcohol Arrests – 1

# of OUI Drug Arrests – 1

# of DV Arrests – 0

10-04-20

Trooper Dana Austin responded to Township 10 for a motor vehicle crash, as a result of the investigation, Joshua Greenlaw (31) of Mariaville was summonsed for Operating Under the Influence. Sergeant Jason Sattler and Trooper Gavin Endre assisted.

10-05-20

Trooper Kim Sawyer arrested William Gibson (21) of Baileyville for Operating Under the Influence-Drugs after a traffic crash on Main Street in Princeton.  Indian Township Police Officer Aaron Dana and Officer Jess McCook assisted on scene.  Pleasant Point Police Officer Ethan Stevens performed the Drug Recognition Evaluation.

10-06-20

 Trooper Kim Sawyer summonsed Donald Holmes (59) of Alexander for Violating Conditions of Release, Failure to Report by Quickest Means and for Operating an Unregistered Motor Vehicle (expired 3/31/2019) after a crash on Conant Hill in Meddybemps on 10/5/2020.

Maine State Police, Skowhegan Police, and Waterville Police are looking for two men who fled after leading authorities on a high-speed chase.

Police are seeking Christopher Terenc Farrow (AKA Young), 32, of CT. who is described as a black male, 5’11 200lbs, with brown hair, and brown eyes; and Dayshawn Middleton (AKA Day Day or Christopher Jones), 29 Waterbury, CT, who is described as a black male, 6’5”, 150lbs, brown eyes black hair.  

There may be a young-looking female with them.  Hailey Goeltz, 26, Out of Connecticut, she is described as  5’7” with green eyes. We have no information on weight, race, or hair color. 

On Oct. 6, a pursuit began in Waterville after Waterville Police Officers attempted to stop a vehicle they articulated

was occupied by an adult male who was wanted on robbery charges from Connecticut.  The vehicle failed to stop and the pursuit began moving through Waterville, Clinton, then into Augusta where Troopers became involved.   Several attempts were made to deploy spike strips in an effort to terminate the pursuit however due to the high speeds that topped 100 MPH, no Law  Enforcement Officer was able to get ahead of the pursuit.
 
At times, the suspect vehicle was operating in the wrong lane of travel forcing vehicles to move off the roadway. As the vehicle continued south on from I 95 onto I295 it abruptly exited in Richmond onto Rt. 197 then made a turn onto Rt. 201 north where Tr. Tyler Harrington had an opportunity to apply the PIT maneuver.  Both the suspect vehicle and the State Police cruiser exited the roadway and came to rest off the road.  The suspects fled on foot into the area that consisted for field and woods.
 
A K9 track was started in an attempt to locate the suspect that was not successful.  Tr. Harrington was transported from the scene via ambulance for concussion symptoms.  He was treated and later released from Maine General Medical Center.
 
Waterville Police are the lead agency on the criminal investigation that lead to the original traffic stop. The suspects remain at large and should be considered armed and dangerous. If you see them call 911 or 207-624-7076 x9.