Maine State Police

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.

On Friday, September 27, 2024, at approximately 10:53 PM, the Biddeford Police Department received a 911 call for shots fired on Foss Street. First responders arrived to find an injured male. Emergency responders attempted to render aid, however the male, later identified as 46-year-old Gene Dares of Biddeford died at the scene. The deceased was transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta where an autopsy was performed. The cause of death is gunshot wounds, and the manner of death is homicide. There is no known specific threat to the public. The Biddeford Police Department and the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit South continue to investigate the incident. No other information is being released at this time.

On Thursday, September 26, 2024, at approximately 6:00 PM, Troopers from Central Field Troop responded to 142 Augusta Rockland Road in Windsor for a report of an out-of-control female that had assaulted a business owner and fled that location in what was discovered to be a stolen pick-up truck. The Maine State Police published a social media post requesting assistance with a photograph of the female subject taken by a witness to the assault. The State Police received one credible tip based on this post and identified the female as 33-year-old Jenyfer Clark of Augusta. The investigation continued well into the morning hours and through the assistance of Troopers from Troop I, Central Field Troop Troopers were able to confirm Clark’s whereabouts. At approximately 3:40 am, Clark was found hiding from Troopers in Pittsfield on the Canaan Road and was taken into custody and transported to the Kennebec County Correctional Facility in Augusta. She was charged with Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle, Assault, and Violating Conditions of Release. Clark also had an active Probation Revocation warrant as well as a warrant charging her with Assault, Disorderly Conduct, and Refusing to Submit to Arrest. The Maine State Police would like to thank the public for assisting them in identifying the suspect in this case. The male business owner was not injured. The investigation continues and more charges are likely to follow.

On Thursday, September 26^,. 2024, at approximately 7:09 AM, Oxford County dispatch received a 911 call reporting a fire at 5 Tucker Street in the town of Mexico. The Mexico Fire Department and several area fire departments responded to the scene. First responders observed a fire burning, primarily from the front porch area. Firefighters were able to rescue one female from the residence using a ladder. She was not injured. Once the fire was extinguished firefighters on scene discovered a deceased female inside the residence. The Maine State Fire Marshall’s office responded to the scene as well as the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit South to conduct an investigation.  The deceased female was transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta where an autopsy was performed. The results of the Autopsy are pending. The identity of the deceased is not being released at this time. The investigation remains open and ongoing at this time. There is no danger to the public. Additional information will be released at a later date.

On Friday,  September 27, 2024, at approximately 6:58 AM, a white GMC work van with 5 occupants was traveling north on I-295 in Freeport when for an unknown reason the driver, 29-year-old Edison Uscha-Roto of South Portland went off the roadway to the left, struck the crossover, rolled over and came to rest blocking lane one of I-295. Uscha-Roto was operating the vehicle with a suspended license. He and 3 other passengers were transported to Maine Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. Cumberland, Freeport and Yarmouth Rescues responded to assist as did Yarmouth and Freeport Police Departments. Copp Motors removed the overturned work van which was freighted with construction tools and equipment strewn across lane one and into the median. Lane one north bound was shut down for just shy of two hours. It has since re-opened. The investigation is ongoing.

On Monday, September 23, 2024, at approximately 12:03 PM, Troopers from the Maine State Police – Southern Field Troop responded to Dayton Sand and Gravel for a report of a worker who’d been struck by a front-end loader. The investigation showed that 43-year-old Cory Maddox of East Waterboro was walking across the yard of Dayton Sand and Gravel when he was hit by the bucket of the front-end loader that was being operating by another worker at the time. Resuscitation efforts were made but were unsuccessful. The incident is under investigation by OSHA. There is no sign of criminal activity involved. The Maine State Police was assisted by the York County Sheriff’s Department, Wells Police Department, Goodwins Mills Fire and Rescue, Mine Safety and Health Administration and Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

On September 21, 2024, at approximately 11:58 PM, Trooper Lambert of the Maine State Police Central Field Troop stopped Daniel Pallis (35) of Dresden on Route 201 in Fairfield for inoperable taillights. Based on Trooper Lambert’s observations of the occupants, he recognized both the driver and the passenger, Maria Jackson (30) of Richmond, as individuals who fought with a Maine State Trooper in Augusta on August 10, 2024, as the Trooper was attempting to arrest Jackson as a result of a drug investigation.

Trooper Lambert subsequently arrested Pallis for Aggravated Trafficking of Schedule W Drugs and two counts of Violating Conditions of Release. Maria Jackson was charged with Aggravated Trafficking of Schedule W Drugs and an arrest warrant for Refusing to Submit to Arrest or Detention and Violating Conditions of Release. Two other passengers were also arrested; Paul Duplin (35) of Whitefield was arrested for Aggravated Trafficking in Schedule W Drugs, Violating Conditions of Release, and Unlawful Possession of Schedule W Drugs (MDMA). David Levasseur (38) of Lisbon was arrested for Aggravated Trafficking in Schedule W Drugs and Trafficking in Prison Contraband.