Allegedly Intoxicated Driver Hits Stopped Police Cruiser

New Jersey Man Arrested After Allegedly Hitting Cruiser and Driving Off

BAR HARBOR—On June 23, Officer Troy Stanwood was assisting another officer on a motor vehicle stop. Both police vehicles had their emergency blue lights activated when Alex Gamez, 34, of New Jersey, was driving past the two parked cruisers and struck the rear of Officer Stanwood’s cruiser causing reportable but minor damage. Gamez allegedly continued driving, leaving the scene of the accident. The location of the incident was not in the police log.

Officers caught up with Gamez and pulled him over. Gamez was subsequently arrested for alleged operating under the influence and was also summonsed for alleged leaving the scene of an accident and alleged improper passing of a stationary emergency vehicle using lights. Gamez was transported to the Hancock County Jail. 

No one was injured in the crash and Southwest Harbor Police Department investigated the accident.

The following incidents occurred in Bar Harbor last week according to the Bar Harbor police log, which is publicly released information.

Monday, June 19, 2023

Officer Liam Harrington responded to a motorist assist and during the course of that assistance arrested the driver, Katherine G. Richardson, 23, of Bar Harbor, for alleged operating under the influence.

While assisting a motorist, Officer Troy Stanwood arrested Jaitin Soni, 21, of Indiana, for alleged operating under the influence.

Officer Harrington gave a Mount Desert resident a ride home.

Officers assisted an outside agency with looking for a vehicle. The vehicle was located in another jurisdiction and Bar Harbor’s help was no longer needed.

Someone turned an item of found property in to the police department.

Officer Elias Burne responded to a report of a vehicle crash and upon investigation determined that the damage was actually from a previous incident.

Officer Caleb Mora went to a Bar Harbor campground for a report of a disorderly and intoxicated male and arrested Raymond Mazanowski, 81, of Trenton, for alleged operating under the influence. Mazanowski was transported to the Hancock County Jail.

Officer Jerrod Hardy took a report of a verbal altercation between two people that was determined to not be criminal.

Officer Harrington summonsed Joseph E. MacQuinn, 56, of Bar Harbor, for alleged violation of conditions of release.

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Officer Aime Torrey responded to a report of a collision between a motor vehicle and a deer. Upon Officer Torrey’s arrival the deer had run off and there was no damage to the vehicle.

Someone reported losing a ring in town.

Officer Ted Cake assisted the Maine State Police with a crash on Route 102 in Bar Harbor.

Officer Torrey fingerprinted a woman at the woman’s request.

Officer Torrey investigated a harassment complaint involving several people.

A man reported having lost his passport about a month ago.

Officer Hardy took a report of a fraudulent rental being listed on Craigslist.

Someone turned a found credit card in to the police department.

Officer Mora documented a third hand report of missing packages.

A person reported that they lost their cellphone.

Officer Mora took a report of water coming out of a house.

Officers responded to assist the MDI Hospital with a disorderly patient.

Someone reported losing their wallet.

Officer Hardy issued a trespass warning to someone.

Officer Stanwood checked on the wellbeing of a person who was in front of a business.

Wednesday, June 21, 2023

Officer Stanwood received some found property.

After conducting a traffic stop, Officer Stanwood arrested Daniel Iannaccone Jr., 36, of Bar Harbor for alleged operating under the influence.

Officer T. Cake investigated a report of a person screaming and was advised by the screamer that they were fine.

Officer T. Cake responded to a motor vehicle complaint, located the subject vehicle, and warned the driver for erratic operation.

Someone reported losing some property.

Officer T. Cake assisted Acadia National Park with locating a vehicle which was located by park rangers.

Officer T. Cake assisted a motorist with changing a flat tire.

An elderly female reported her husband as being late returning from a hike, but the husband returned home while the female was still on the phone with the police department.

Officer Mora responded to a report of a vehicle blocking the roadway, but the vehicle was gone upon his arrival.

Officer Mora responded to a report of a speeding vehicle and located the subject vehicle. The parents of the operator agreed to speak with their child about their driving.

Officer Tim Bland assisted with a non-criminal matter.

Someone turned a found cellphone in to the police department.

Thursday, June 22, 2023

Officer Bland assisted a motorist who was trying to shut off their car alarm.

Sgt. Soren Sundberg provided a person a ride home.

Officer Kaleb Payson warned a driver for his operation of a motor vehicle following a complaint.

Someone turned in a found key to the police department.

Special Services Lt. Chris Wharff responded to a parking complaint and had the vehicle owners move their vehicles.

Officers assisted another agency with locating a missing minor who was located within 30 minutes.

Hinson Singleton, 55, of Plant City, Florida, was driving a 2013 Chevy van west on West Street when the van allegedly struck a steel platform that was attached to the trailer hitch of a legally parked vehicle. The steel platform was allegedly sticking out into the travel lane. The legally parked vehicle was a 2012 Toyota last operated by Troy Tatum, 48, of Wake Forest, North Carolina. There was no personal injury and the only damage to either vehicle was to the steel platform.

Officer Bland took a report of a dog in a vehicle.

Someone reported to Officer Bland that a dog was running loose to Officer Bland. Another person did the same.

A person turned a found credit card in to the police department and the owner was contacted and retrieved the card.

Someone turned some found property in to the police department and the property was returned to the owner.

The police department received an iPhone alert stating that the phone had detected a serious motor vehicle crash in Bar Harbor. Officer Bland was able to locate the phone which had fallen off a moving vehicle. There was no crash and the phone was returned to its owner.

The police department receive a report of an injured deer in the area of Indian Point Road and they referred it to the Maine Warden Service.

A person reported losing something in town.

Officer Judson Cake found a pair of glasses in an eyeglass case and put them in the police department’s lost and found.

Friday, June 23, 2023

After conducting a motor vehicle stop, Officer Stanwood performed a conditions of release check on the operator.

After stopping a motor vehicle, Officer Kaleb Payson arrested Lynne Darling, 43, of Hampden, Maine, for alleged operating under the influence.

Theolyn E. Gilley, 83, of Bar Harbor, was driving a 2010 Ford Focus and was turning from Roberts Avenue onto Mount Desert Street when he allegedly struck a 2017 Chevy Equinox that was being driven by Patricia Ward-Bailey, 74, of Bar Harbor. Both vehicles suffered damage, but there was no personal injury.

Officer Mora took a report of a liquor license violation and referred it to another agency.

Someone called the police department to pass on some information regarding suspicious activity.

After the police department received a compliant of a plastic tote in the middle of Route 3 in the area of the bluffs, Sgt. Leigh Guildford responded and found a small plastic trash can that had been run over and was in the bushes, well off the road.

Officer Burne investigated a complaint of fraud.

Officer Burne responded to an animal complaint and found that there was no issue.

Someone reported that they had lost their wallet.

A person reported having seen a vehicle strike a deer on a roadway but upon arrival, Officer Mora did not find a deer nor did anybody report being in a crash.

A person turned in a found cellphone and the owner was contacted and picked it up.

A business turned in several credit cards that had been left behind by customers.

Officer J. Cake investigated a noise complaint that was ultimately unsubstantiated.

The Maine State Police requested officers look for a vehicle that had left the scene of an accident in Trenton. Officer Stanwood located the vehicle and subsequently arrested the operator, Tyson Guthrie, 35, of Bar Harbor, for alleged operating under the influence. Guthrie was transported to the Hancock County Jail.

Officer J. Cake investigated a noise complaint and ended up warning a group of people for disorderly conduct.

Saturday, June 24, 2023

Officer Bland investigated a noise complaint that was ultimately unsubstantiated.

After receiving a complaint of a fight outside of a bar, Officer J. Cake arrived and could find no one fighting.

Officer J. Cake arrested Bailey Walsh, 22, of Westbury, New York, for alleged operating under the influence.

After conducting a motor vehicle stop, Officer Payson arrested Nicholas Dmitrieff, 21, of Mount Desert, for alleged operating under the influence. Dmitrieff was transported to the Hancock County Jail.

Officer Mora handled a complaint regarding music being played at a business. The business turned the music off.

The police department received a complaint that a child was being abused because it was on a leash. When Officer Mora located the child and family, it was determined that the child was wearing a backpack with a leash attached to it so that the child could not be easily lost.

Someone turned a child’s purse that they’d found in to the police department.

Zachariah J. Saunders, 25, of Tucson, Arizona, was operating a 2018 Dodge Ram van and was attempting to turn right from a private parking lot onto Main Street when he allegedly struck a legally parked 2021 Audi Q7. There was reportable damage to both vehicles but no personal injury. No last known driver information was given for the Audi.

Lt. Kevin Edgecomb responded to a business for a report of a verbal altercation between a business employee and a customer. The customer left after briefly speaking with Lt. Edgecomb.

At the request of a family member, Officer Hardy conducted a wellbeing check on someone who was found to be all set.

After conducting a traffic stop, Officer Hardy arrested Tamesha A. Buchanan, 20, of Florida, for alleged operating under the influence. Buchanan was transported to the Hancock County Jail.

Officer Burne removed a deer from the roadway.

Sunday, June 25, 2023

Pursuant to a traffic stop, Officer Stanwood arrested Debra Gaultieri, 43, of Pennsylvania for alleged operating under the influence. Gaultieri was transported to the Hancock County Jail.

After conducting a motor vehicle stop, Officer Harrington arrested Amanda R. Buchheim, 39, of Sarasota, Florida, for alleged operating under the influence.

A Pennsylvania man reported that his daughter’s bicycle had been stolen from a local campground.

A homeowner called to report a vehicle blocking the driveway of their residence and a tow truck was called. After investigation, it was determined that the vehicle was allowed to be there.

A found debit card was turned in to the police department.

Following a suspicious activity complaint, a male was served a cease harassment notice.

A resident took a handgun to the police department and turned it over to them for temporary safekeeping.

Officer Hardy responded to a complaint of an intoxicated person on Cottage Street but could not locate the subject.

A man reported a scam to Officer Mora.

A business complained about the volume of music coming from a neighboring business. Officer Hardy investigated and provided both businesses with copies of the town’s noise ordinance.

A wallet that was found on the Lakewood Pond Road was turned into the police department.

An Ellsworth man called the police department to report the theft of wood chips.

After receiving a report of a large flow of water spraying up into the air on the Spruce Point Road, the police department notified the Bar Harbor Water Department.

Someone turned in a piece of found property to the police department.