Maine State Police

On Monday, August 19th, 2024, the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit-Central Division and Waterville Police continued their investigation into the death of an adult male at the residence of 119 Cool St. in Waterville. An autopsy was performed at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner at 9:30 am on today’s date. The results of the autopsy determined the manner homicide and cause of death to be from sharp force injuries. On August 18th, Thomas Lowrie (41) of Waterville was arrested by State Police detectives and charged with murder. On August 19th at 1:00 pm, Thomas Lowrie made his initial appearance for the charge of murder at the Capital Judicial Center in Augusta. The identity of our victim is being withheld at this time until further DNA testing can be completed and next of kin can be appropriately notified.

On Sunday, August 18th, 2024, at 0823 hours, Waterville Police requested the assistance of the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit-Central Division to respond to 119 Cool Street in their city for the report of a potential suspicious death. The investigation is currently ongoing, and both Waterville PD and Maine State Police continue to work on the identification of the victim. The body will be sent to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy on Monday, August 19th. The OCME will determine the cause and manner of death. There is no threat to the public currently.

On August 17, 2024, State Police Houlton responded to a vehicle fire on Interstate 95 in Dyer Brook. Candyce Marsh, 43, of Fort Kent, was driving a 2024 Subaru Forester southbound and struck a deer. After pulling to the side of the roadway, Marsh and her child exited the vehicle. The impact from the crash caused an electrical component to spark and catch the vehicle on fire. In just a few minutes, the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames. Oakfield Fire Department responded to the scene and extinguished the fire, but the vehicle was burned beyond repair. Marsh sustained minor injuries and was treated and released by Paramedics at the scene. 

On August 16, 2024, at approximately 1500 hours, the State Police dispatch received a call about a box truck driving erratically northbound from mile 112. As troopers were moving to intercept the truck, multiple calls came in to report that the same truck had crashed into the median at mile 118 in Sidney.

Troopers believe the operator, Ashley Peters, 42, of Ellsworth, fell asleep, left the roadway in the box truck owned by Eastern Mold Remediation, and entered the median before striking a tree and rolling onto the passenger side.  Peters, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, suffered serious, non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to Maine General Hospital.      

Interstate 95 shut down to one lane northbound in the crash area while crews worked the scene until just after 6 PM.

On Saturday, August 10, 2024, at approximately 12:30 AM Troopers responded to a crash on the Golden Road in T3 Indian Purchase Township. The initial investigation indicates that a gray 2023 Toyota Tacoma was traveling westbound on Golden Road when the vehicle went off the roadway to the right, re-entered the road and then went off the road to the left striking a group of trees before rolling onto its side. There were three occupants in the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was 33-year-old William Tobey of Rollinsford, New Hampshire, the front passenger was 24-year-old Benjamin Farquhar of Millinocket, and the rear passenger was 23-year-old Benjamin Harvey of Rollinsford, New Hampshire who was pronounced deceased on scene. Tobey suffered minor injuries. Farquhar was transported to Millinocket Regional Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. It does not appear that any of the occupants were wearing seatbelts. The crash remains under investigation however speed and alcohol appear to be factors in the crash.

Assisting on scene was the East Millinocket Fire Department, EMS and East Millinocket Police Department.

On Friday, August 9, 2024, at approximately 5:30 AM, a tractor trailer transporting a windmill blade to Columbia, Maine collided with the railroad bridge that crosses over Rt. 1 in Stockton Springs. The collision caused both the tractor and trailer hauling the blade to overturn shutting down Rt 1. The initial investigation indicates the driver of the tractor trailer did not position the vehicle far enough into the left lane to navigate the lower side of the train trestle resulting in the crash. The windmill blade, mounted on large brackets, struck the trestle, causing the truck, trailer, and blade to roll over. The Maine State Police, Stockton Springs Fire Department, Waldo County Sheriff’s Office, Maine Department of Transportation and Maine Department of Environmental Protection are on scene. STX, the employer of the truck driver, and representatives from the railroad also responded to assess the situation. Fortunately, the bridge sustained only minor damage. Due to the length of the windmill blade, turning the vehicle around is not feasible. The only viable option is to load the blade onto another trailer and reverse it back to Searsport. This complex operation is currently being coordinated by the teams on site. At this point it appears the blade will be moved back to Searsport early tomorrow morning. In the meantime, Route 1 in the area will remain closed. Traffic on Route 1 is being re-routed from the bridge to 174A to 1A and back to Rt. 1.

On Friday, August 9, 2024, at approximately 5:30 AM, a tractor trailer transporting a windmill blade to Columbia, Maine collided with the railroad bridge that crosses over Rt. 1 in Stockton Springs. The collision caused both the tractor and trailer hauling the blade to overturn shutting down Rt 1. There were no injuries sustained from the crash and crews will be working for the next several hours to upright the load and reload it on to a new trailer to return it back to the port in Searsport. 

The victim in the Poland Shooting has been identified as 51-year-old Richard Tayman Jr. of Oxford. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta has determined that the cause of death is a single gunshot wound and the manner of death is homicide. The individual responsible for the shooting is cooperating with the investigation. The investigation is ongoing. Additional information will be released when it’s appropriate to do so.

Troopers are on the scene of a tractor trailer crash at mile marker 22 on the Turnpike in Wells. Initial investigation indicates the driver of the tractor trailer was traveling southbound in the rain on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at approximately 2:20 AM when he lost control of his vehicle, went off the roadway to the left and became intertwined with the guardrail, causing disabling damage to the truck. This resulted in the tractor trailer blocking the two passing lanes southbound and two of the passing lanes northbound.  The operator of the Granite Group tractor trailer, 73-year-old Larry Beaugeard of Dunbarton, New Hampshire was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The tractor trailer was mostly empty however some plumbing supplies on board became strewn across the northbound lanes. Ray’s towing is on scene assessing the situation. Drivers should avoid the area if possible. The cause of the crash in under investigation. Troopers are being assisted by the Maine Turnpike Authority, the Wells Police Department, and the Kennebunk Fire Department.

The Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit South is assisting the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office with a shooting death that occurred at 252 White Oak Hill Road in Poland on Friday, August 2, 2024, at approximately 7:50 PM. The deceased was transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta where an autopsy will be performed to determine cause and manner of death. The investigation is ongoing and there is no danger to the public.