The Police Reports:

Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Southwest Harbor, Maine State Police and Hancock County Sheriff

Apr 02, 2024

BAR HARBOR—In our effort to cover local events and distribute free access, quality news coverage across the island, we are now including press releases from the Southwest Harbor Police Department.

The following incidents occurred last week according to the police logs, which is publicly released information.

Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Police Department

Monday, March 25, 2024

Officer Shelby O’Neil responded to a traffic complaint in Mount Desert, located the suspect vehicle, and warned the driver for tailgating and reckless operation.

In Bar Harbor, Officer Tim Frost requested assistance from local agencies to assist the Hancock County Drug Court.

An officer assisted a motorist with a disabled vehicle on Eden Street in Bar Harbor.

A Bar Harbor resident called the police department to report some information. No further information or disposition was given.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Joshua Rock, 42, of Franklin, was driving a 2018 Jeep Cherokee when he crashed in the area of 1032 Route 102 in Bar Harbor. The vehicle was towed from the scene due to disabling damage. After investigation, Rock was arrested for alleged operating under the influence and alleged driving to endanger.

Officer Judson Cake gave a man a ride home after he got lost in Bar Harbor.

Someone called the Bar Harbor Police Department to report some information. No further information or disposition was given.

After receiving a complaint of a vehicle passing a stopped school bus in Bar Harbor, Officer O’Neil summonsed Claire M. McMillin, 22, of Madison, Wisconsin, for alleged passing a stopped school bus.

Mental Health Liaison Melissa Tozier checked on a Bar Harbor resident after a recent medical emergency.

Someone called the Mount Desert Police Department to report some information. No further information or disposition was given.

The Mount Desert Police Department received a motor vehicle complaint about a vehicle on Route 102 in Somesville. No further information or disposition was given.

A Northeast Harbor resident made a complaint regarding an incident that took place at his residence. Lt. Kevin Edgecomb received the information. The complainant just wanted it documented at this time.

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Someone called the Bar Harbor Police Department to give them some information. No further information or disposition was given.

Officer Ted Cake checked on a vehicle on the side of the road on Route 3 in Bar Harbor that had its emergency flashers on. The driver advised that they were all set and had a tow truck on the way.

Officers responded to a report of a vehicle that had driven off the road on the Crooked Road in Bar Harbor. The driver was transported to the hospital for a medical condition. The accident is still being investigated.

An officer in Bar Harbor assisted the Ellsworth Police Department with an accident investigation by interviewing the involved person who was in Bar Harbor.

An officer responded to a Bar Harbor business for a report of a missing child. Investigation revealed that the child had gone to a friend’s house for a birthday party and was reunited with their mother.

An officer responded to a Bar Harbor business to assist an employee who had locked themselves out of the building.

An officer responded to the area of Sand Point Road in Bar Harbor for the report of gunshots but could not locate any evidence of gunshots upon arrival.

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Officer Kaleb Payson performed a security check on a Bar Harbor business.

A 16-year-old from Bar Harbor was driving a 2011 Toyota Sienna and turning into the MDI High School parking lot when they became distracted and drove onto the coping stones, causing the vehicle to become stuck. There was no reported injury and the vehicle was towed due to being stuck and its undercarriage damage.

Sgt. Chris Dickens spoke with two people in Somesville regarding an ongoing barking dog complaint.

Officer Caleb Mora investigated a complaint regarding traffic control in Bar Harbor and found it to be unsubstantiated.

Officer Lukas Keene attended the ribbon cutting ceremony at the Witham Family Hotels’ new employee housing.

Friday, March 29, 2024

Officer Troy Stanwood handled a car vs. coyote accident in Bar Harbor. There was no damage to the vehicle.

In the Atlantic Oceanside parking lot in Bar Harbor, Dex Chew Yen Yang, 45, of Singapore, was driving a 2024 Ford Expedition and allegedly backed into a 2023 Kia Sportage that had been parked by Erica Durgin, 46, of Trenton. There was no reported personal injury. The Ford had no damage and the Kia sustained dents and scratches to the rear hatch cover.

A group of people in Bar Harbor were checked on after having endured some poor weather. No further information or disposition was given.

David Decesere, 53, of Brewer, was driving a 2013 Freightliner on Mount Desert Street in Bar Harbor when a side door of its cargo compartment allegedly opened and struck the driver’s side mirror of a 2023 Hyundai Tucson that had recently been parked by Shelby Hueper, 31, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, but was still occupied. There was no reported personal injury. The Freightliner was not damaged and the Hyundai had a broken driver’s side mirror.

Officer Amie Torrey took a report of an erratic driver in Bar Harbor. No further information or disposition was given.

Officer Torrey assisted a Florida law enforcement agency with paperwork in Mount Desert.

Officer Mora investigated a report of traffic lights not cycling properly in Bar Harbor and found them to be operating properly.

Officer Mora took a motor vehicle complaint in Bar Harbor that turned out to be a medical issue. No further information or disposition was given.

Officer Lukas Keene received a complaint of a road hazard in Bar Harbor. No further information or disposition was given.

Saturday, March 30, 2024

Officer Stanwood took a complaint that turned out to be a civil issue in Bar Harbor.

Officer O’Neil took a complaint of a possibly impaired driver in Bar Harbor and deemed the driver to not be impaired.

Officer Mora stood by while someone removed property from a residence in Mount Desert.

Sgt. Jerrod Hardy took a report of a loose dog in Bar Harbor. The dog was collected by its owner shortly thereafter.

Someone called to report information to the Bar Harbor Police Department.

Someone struck a deer with their vehicle on Route 102 in Bar Harbor. No further information or disposition was given.

Sunday, March 31, 2024

Jean Gilpin, 76, of Mount Desert, was driving a 2021 Subaru Impreza east on Macomber Pines Road in Mount Desert when she allegedly swerved to the left to avoid a tree branch in the road and the vehicle’s tire struck a log, causing the vehicle to get stuck on the log. There was no reported personal injury but the vehicle had to be towed because of undercarriage damage.

Two women in Bar Harbor were served cease harassment warnings after a dispute at an Easter egg hunting event.

After an investigation, David A. Perkins, 53, of Bangor, was arrested for alleged domestic violence assault in Bar Harbor.

A pedestrian reported an open door at a residence on South Shore Road in Mount Desert. Officers checked the residence, found nothing suspicious, and then secured the door.

Officer Frost located an abandoned vehicle on the side of the road in Mount Desert and contacted the owner who made arrangements to have the vehicle removed.

A man reported being bitten by a dog while jogging on Highbrook Road in Bar Harbor. No further information or disposition was given.

SOUTHWEST HARBOR

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Officer Ryan Blakeney took a request from a Southwest Harbor resident for directed patrol in the area where the individual owns property.

Officer Blakeney responded to a report of a man yelling outside of the complainant’s residence. Officer Blakeney was unable to locate anyone in the area.

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Lt. Franklin Burke assisted the FBI with a search warrant at a Southwest Harbor residence.

Joseph Evangelista, 20, of Tremont, was driving a 2011 Chevy Tahoe when he allegedly backed into a 2017 Ford Escape that had been legally parked by Ashley Betts, 30, of Tremont, in the Gott’s Store parking lot. There was no reported personal injury. The Tahoe sustained damage to the driver’s side rear corner. The Escape sustained damage to the driver’s side in the area of the door and front quarter panel.

Officer Blakeney performed a well-being check on a local resident and found them to be okay.

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Officer Blakeney responded to a residence in Southwest Harbor for a complaint of an individual who was out of control. The person had left prior to Officer Blakeney’s arrival and could not be located. The individual was still being sought for questioning.

Friday, March 29, 2024

No reportable incidents.

Saturday, March 30, 2024

No reportable incidents.

Sunday, March 31, 2024

Officer Blakeney responded to a complaint of a dog that was allegedly not being cared for properly by its owner. He determined that the dog was in good health.

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.

Fire Marshal’s Office Investigating Fatal Fire in St. George

On Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at approximately 7:46 a.m., the St. George Fire Department responded to a residential fire at 272 Clark Island Road in St. George. While extinguishing the fire, they located a deceased adult male. Investigators from the Fire Marshal’s office were contacted and responded to the scene to begin an investigation. They determined that the deceased lived alone at the residence which was a rental property.

The deceased will be transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta where an autopsy will be performed. The identification of the deceased will not be released until next of kin has been notified. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. This is the second fire fatality of 2024. The South Thomaston, Thomaston, Owls Head, Cushing, and Warren Fire Departments assisted on scene as did the St. George and South Thomaston Rescue and the Knox County Sheriff’s Department.

Leeds Man Charged with Murder in Connection to Missing Windham Man

On Sunday, May 14, 2023, the Windham Police Department investigated a report of a missing person from their town. The family of 34-year-old Alex Jackson, of Windham, reported him missing with no contact since Friday, May 12, 2023, which was atypical behavior for him. Investigators with the Maine State Police, Windham Police Department, Lewiston Police Department, Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office, and the New Hampshire State Police worked to develop leads over the following ten months.

On Friday, March 29, 2024, an arrest warrant was obtained for 30-year-old Joseph Chute, of Leeds, on the charge of murder. Chute was arrested Friday evening without incident and transported to the Androscoggin County Jail where he is being held without bail. The body of Jackson has not been recovered at this time. Chute will make his initial appearance in Androscoggin County Superior Court on Monday, April 1, 2024.

Maine State Police Investigating Fatal Crash in Clinton

On Monday, April 1, 2024, at approximately 5:42 p.m., troopers responded to a crash on I-95 at mile marker 138 northbound in Clinton. Initial investigation has determined that a tan 2009 Ford Fusion was traveling northbound in the passing lane when the driver passed a 2020 white Ford Escape in the travel lane. As the driver of the Fusion passed the Escape, the driver quicky changed lanes in front of the Escape and collided with the vehicle. The collision caused the driver of the Fusion to lose control and go off the right side of the roadway. The Fusion overturned and collided with a tree on the side of the roadway. The driver was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Escape was not injured. The crash remains under investigation.