Storms and Their Damage Keep Officers Busy
POLICE ROUNDUP FOR BAR HARBOR, MOUNT DESERT, HCSO, and STATE POLICE
BAR HARBOR—Police and fire departments in multiple towns across the island and Hancock County aided public works departments, Maine DOT, Versant, and private and public owners during a triple whammy of storms that caused flooding and tidal surges. They also performed their normal duties, dealing with deaths, accidents, drug activity and traffic details.
“I was very proud of the work that our marina staff, public safety employees, and public works crews did when faced with three major weather events in one week,” Mount Desert Town Manager Durlin Lunt said.
The Shore Path sustained significant damage from the storm and is closed to the public. The path is owned by multiple property owners who grant access to pedestrians. It is maintained by the Village Improvement Association, which is currently assessing the damage and urges people to not go on it. Any photos of the Shore Path included in this article are with permission of the VIA.
The following incidents occurred in Bar Harbor and Mount Desert last week according to the Bar Harbor and Mount Desert police log, which is publicly released information.
Monday, January 8, 2024
Officer Troy Stanwood gave someone a ride home in Bar Harbor.
Officer Ted Cake handled a parking complaint in Mount Desert by locating a person at the location of the complaint and making them aware of the complaint.
Officer Chris Dickens conducted a traffic control detail in Somesville.
Officer T. Cake responded to a vehicle that had slid off the roadway in Mount Desert due to icy conditions. There was no damage to the vehicle and the driver of the vehicle had already called for a tow truck to get her back on the road.
Officer Shelby O’Neil assisted someone in Bar Harbor. No further information or disposition was given.
An officer checked on an unsecured business in Bar Harbor. The property was checked and the business was secured.
Michael Larrabee, 62, of Orland, was backing his 2018 Ford F-150 down a private driveway off Cooksey Drive in Mount Desert when he allegedly lost control and drove off an embankment. There was no reported personal injury. The truck sustained disabling damage to the driver’s side and rear bumper areas.
An officer assisted a motorist who had gone off the road on private property in Bar Harbor. There was no damage to the vehicle and it was towed back onto the roadway.
Officer Stanwood took a report of a civil issue in Somesville. No further information or disposition was given.
Officer Liam Harrington received some information from a person in Bar Harbor. No further information or disposition was given.
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Raven J. Flasher, 37, of Franklin, was driving a 2016 Subaru Impreza north on Route 3 in Bar Harbor when a deer ran into the roadway and was allegedly struck by Flasher’s vehicle. There was no reported personal injury. The vehicle suffered disabling damage and had to be towed away. The deer ran off.
Officer O’Neil spoke with someone who was having mental health issues in Bar Harbor.
Officer Kaleb Payson conducted a traffic control detail in Mount Desert.
After receiving a vandalism complaint in Mount Desert and conducting an investigation, Officer T. Cake summonsed James Mitchell, 50, of Mount Desert, for alleged aggravated criminal mischief.
Joshua Shank, 19, of Owings, Maryland, was driving a vehicle for which no description was provided, on the Indian Point Road in Mount Desert when he allegedly failed to stop for the stop sign at Bartlett’s Landing Road. Shank allegedly slammed on his brakes, hit a patch of gravel, and slid into a ditch. Shank complained of shoulder pain from the seatbelt and was checked by Southwest Harbor Ambulance but refused transport. The vehicle suffered front wheel and bumper damage and was towed.
Mental Health Liaison Melissa Tozier spoke with an individual in Bar Harbor about safety concerns.
Officer Judson Cake spoke with someone in Bar Harbor regarding a family member who had given out some personal information over the phone.
Officer O’Neil received a report of an animal problem in Bar Harbor. No further information or disposition was given.
MHL Tozier spoke with a Bar Harbor resident about safety issues.
MHL Tozier spoke with a Bar Harbor resident to help her connect with resources.
Lt. Kevin Edgecomb responded to the area of the Stone Barn on the Crooked Road in Bar Harbor for a report of a tote in the roadway. The tote was gone upon Lt. Edgecomb’s arrival.
Two dogs that had been found in Bar Harbor were brought in to the Bar Harbor Police Department. The owner picked them up later in the day.
Officer Payson responded to an animal complaint in Mount Desert, located the animal, and determined that it was not a problem.
The Mount Desert Police Department received a call from someone claiming to be experiencing a mental health crisis. The phone call was determined to be a hoax.
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Officer Amie Torrey took a report from the Mount Desert Highway Department regarding a vehicle that was blocking snow removal.
Officer Torrey responded to a residential burglary alarm in Mount Desert, checked the building, and found everything to be secure.
Officer Harrington took a report of a tree and wires blocking a road in Mount Desert.
Lt. Edgecomb checked Route 3 near Little Long Pond and found that the rock seawall had been pushed into the road and the road was shut down by MDOT.
Officer Tim Bland assisted the Bar Harbor Fire Department at 1 West Street when a propane tank had come loose during the storm and was floating in the water.
Officer O’Neil responded to a traffic hazard complaint in Bar Harbor. No further information or disposition was given.
The Bar Harbor Police Department relayed a complaint of a tree on wires to Versant.
Officer O’Neil responded to a traffic hazard complaint in Bar Harbor. No further information or disposition was given.
A traffic hazard complaint in Bar Harbor was referred to MDOT.
The Bar Harbor Police Department took a report of a fallen tree.
Officer T. Cake and a member of the Mount Desert Fire Department went to the Northeast Harbor marina parking lot after a report that the storm surge was inundating the parking lot with water. The harbormaster and his staff were already assisting with people and vehicles in the parking lot. There were no reported injuries.
Lt. Edgecomb checked on an elderly female in Mount Desert and found that she was fine.
Officer O’Neil responded to a traffic hazard complaint in Bar Harbor. No further information or disposition was given.
Someone reported damage to the Shore Path due to the storm, to the Bar Harbor Police Department.
Someone reported information to Officer O’Neil in Bar Harbor. No further information or disposition was given.
Officer O’Neil received a report of harassment in Bar Harbor. No further information or disposition was given.
Officer O’Neil fingerprinted someone for employment purposes in Bar Harbor.
Lt. Edgecomb and Officer Payson checked on a report of a tree that may have fallen on a seasonal residence on Beech Hill Cross Road in Mount Desert. The tree did not strike the house but did take down some power lines.
Officer J. Cake checked on a report of a power line with a red blinking light on top in Mount Desert. The blinking light indicated a fault in the line and Versant was already aware.
Officer Mike Allen responded to a complaint of loud music from an apartment in Bar Harbor. Officer Allen made contact with the tenant, advised them of the complaint, and asked them to turn the music down, which they did.
Thursday, January 11, 2024
The Mount Desert Police Department received a barking dog complaint. Officer Chris Dickens contacted the owner of the dog and the dog was taken inside.
Officer Dickens issued a warning to a motorist who was driving a vehicle with a suspended registration in Mount Desert and advised them on how to resolve the situation.
Officer Jerrod Hardy conducted a well-being check on a woman in Bar Harbor and found her to be fine.
Officer T. Cake was advised of a motor vehicle complaint in Bar Harbor. The complaint is under investigation.
MHL Tozier met with a Bar Harbor community member to discuss life events at the community member’s request.
A motorist called the Bar Harbor Police Department to complain about another motorist. All officers were out of position and the complaint was passed on to another agency.
Officer Nathan Formby assisted a disabled motorist in Bar Harbor.
A Bar Harbor property owner advised Officer Allen about a scam where the property owner’s house had been fraudulently listed for sale.
Friday, January 12, 2024
Officer Bland responded to a complaint of a vehicle having been parked on someone’s property in Bar Harbor. Officer Bland found that the vehicle was broken down.
Someone reported a suspicious vehicle in Bar Harbor to Officer J. Cake. The complaint is under investigation.
Officer J. Cake investigated an unattended death in Bar Harbor.
A 2017 Toyota Tacoma that was being driven by Patrick Miller, 22, of Cape Elizabeth, allegedly skidded on ice and ran into the back of a 2016 Toyota RAV4 that was being driven by an unnamed 16-year-old girl from Bar Harbor when the girl stopped to enter a parked position on Glen Mary Road near the intersection with Cromwell Harbor Road in Bar Harbor. There was no reported personal injury. Both vehicles suffered functional damage. Damage was to the rear of the RAV4 and the front of the Tacoma.
Jyothsna Gollapinni, 41, of Bar Harbor, was driving a 2015 Toyota Camry south on Eden Street in Bar Harbor and was preparing to turn when a 2006 Ford Superduty truck driven by Damian Benner, 47, of Waldoboro, allegedly ran into the back of Gollapinni. Gollapinni complained of back pain and was checked by paramedics but refused transport to the hospital. The truck suffered front end damage and the Camry suffered rear end damage and was towed from the scene.
Officer Allen conducted a well-being check on a Northeast Harbor resident. Officer Allen made contact with the subject and asked them to contact the person who made the request.
Officer Formby responded to a report of a family fight in Bar Harbor. Investigation revealed that no assaults had been made and the parties were separated for the night.
Officer J. Cake received a motor vehicle complaint in Bar Harbor but was unable to locate the suspect vehicle.
Officer Stanwood conducted a well-being check in Bar Harbor at the request of family and found the person to be all set.
Officer Stanwood responded to an argument between two people in Bar Harbor that was verbal only and moved them along.
Saturday, January 13, 2024
After conducting a well-being check in Bar Harbor, Officer Stanwood issued Robin Freeman, 52, of Ellsworth, a summons for alleged violation of conditions of release.
Officer O’Neil found an unsecured door at a Northeast Harbor business, checked the building, and after finding nothing amiss, secured the door.
Officer Bland responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint in Bar Harbor but could not locate the suspect vehicle.
Kaousuke Mouri, 40, of Bass Harbor, was driving a vehicle with no description listed north on Maine Street in Mount Desert near Ike’s Point when she allegedly lost control due to the sleet covered roadway and went into a ditch on the right-hand side. Mouri complained of head pain and began to vomit. She was checked by EMS personnel but refused transport to the hospital. The vehicle had front bumper and undercarriage damage and was towed from the scene.
Daniel Carey-Tripp, 29, of Tremont, was driving a 2011 Honda CRV west on Eagle Lake Road in Bar Harbor when he allegedly lost control due to poor road conditions and slid off the road. There was no personal injury reported. The vehicle suffered front end damage.
Officer Bland responded to a vehicle off the road in Bar Harbor. Upon arrival, Officer Bland found that there was no damage to the vehicle and the driver already had someone pulling them back onto the roadway.
Officer Hardy coned off Hadley Point Road (access to the beach) in Bar Harbor due to the storm surge flooding the beach and road.
Officer Formby delivered a message to someone in Bar Harbor at the request of another agency.
Officer J. Cake investigated an overdose in Bar Harbor. The person was transported to the hospital.
Sunday, January 14, 2024
Officer Stanwood responded to a trespassing complaint in Bar Harbor but found that the person had permission to be there.
Officer Caleb Mora observed a 17-year-old juvenile male from Otter Creek operating an off-road vehicle in downtown Bar Harbor. The subject received summonses for allegedly operating an unregistered ATV and operating an ATV on a public way.
Meghan Savage, 40, of Mount Desert was driving a 2020 Kia Telluride west on Cottage Street in Bar Harbor and allegedly sideswiped a 2019 Honda CRV that was parked in front of the post office. There was no owner or driver information given for the Honda CRV. There was no reported personal injury. Savage’s vehicle had no damage and the Honda CRV suffered a broken mirror.
Officer Payson responded to a civil issue between two parties in Bar Harbor, mediated a conversation between them and warned them both for disorderly conduct.
A Bar Harbor resident reported having issues with their neighbor. No further information or disposition was given.
STATE POLICE PRESS RELEASES
These are the Maine State Police press releases from the last few days. The Bar Harbor Story will include this each week though most (and sometimes all) do not occur in Bar Harbor.
MSP Arrest Wrong Way Driver for OUI in Poland
On Tuesday, January 9, 2024, at approximately 8:07 p.m., Detective Jason Wing attempted to stop a 2010 Chrysler Sebring on Route 26 in Mechanic Falls that was traveling in the wrong direction in a snowstorm and almost hit his cruiser and other vehicles head on. Detective Wing turned his cruiser around, activated his emergency lights, and attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver failed to pull over.
The driver, later identified as 29-year-old Nathan Locke, of Casco, continued to drive on the wrong side of the road almost hitting several cars, operating between shoulders, and driving over the median at one point. After a short pursuit Locke crashed into a telephone pole in the area of 600 Bakerstown Road in Poland after trying to negotiate a turn around a plow truck. Locke was taken into custody after resisting arrest. He was transported to Central Maine Medical Center where Locke was uncooperative with hospital staff, hospital security, and officers.
Locke was treated and released for minor injuries and transported to the Androscoggin County Jail where he was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, eluding, failure to stop, refusing to submit to arrest, reckless conduct, and violating conditions of release. At the time of this incident Locke was on five sets of bail conditions.
*Anyone who witnessed this incident is asked to please contact Detective Wing at 207-624-7076 Ext. 9
Truck Lands in Water After Crashing Through Guardrail on Tukey’s Bridge in Portland
On Wednesday, January 10, 2024, at approximately 9:53 a.m., a 2011 Freightliner utility truck, owned by Tree’s R Us out of Illinois, was operating northbound along I-295 in Portland. The truck, operated by 51-year-old Arazo Marrero Niorge, of Lakeland, Florida, was traveling in the left most lane. As he attempted to merge into the right lane, a vehicle that had been operating in lane 3, or the right most lane, began merging at the same time. Niorge attempted to avoid the car and merge back, but due to another vehicle coming up from behind, he overcorrected and lost control of the truck. The truck then veered toward the right side of the roadway crossing all lanes of traffic on Tukey’s Bridge, before he broke through the guardrail and went over the embankment.
The truck fell approximately 45 feet from the roadway to where it came to rest on its passenger side, partly on a paved pathway that had been submerged in water, in part because of the high tide and heavy rain. The roadway was wet at the time of the crash which is likely a factor. Niorge and two other occupants in the truck were wearing their seatbelts and were able to self-extricate themselves from the truck. All three occupants were transported to Maine Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries.
The Maine State Police was assisted on scene by the Portland Police Department, the Portland Fire Department, MaineDOT, DEP, Coast Guard, and National Wrecker Service.
Farmington Deaths Ruled Homicide
On Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at approximately 10:45 a.m., the Franklin County Dispatch Center received a 911 call reporting the discovery of two deceased people at the Pawsitive Dog Kennel at 274 Red Schoolhouse Road in Farmington. Officers responded to the business and confirmed two people were deceased within the business.
The deceased have been identified as 76-year-old Jean Robinson, of Farmington, and 53-year-old Allison Cumming, of Farmington. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner has ruled the manner of death homicide. The cause of death is not being released at this time. State Police Major Crimes Unit Detectives, Farmington Police Officers, and Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputies in collaboration with the Attorney General’s Office continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths. State Police continue to emphasize there is no danger to the public.
*Additional information will be released when the investigation dictates it’s appropriate to do so.
HANCOCK COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
The following are the public releases from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department. Each image can be clicked on and expanded.
