Three-Alarm Fire and Structure Collapse in two separate Bar Harbor Incidents
Police logs for Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Southwest Harbor, Tremont, HCSO and Maine State Police press releases
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BAR HARBOR—A duo of sad events began Bar Harbor first responders’ week.
On Sunday, February 23, fire crews battled both fire and ice at a residential fire on Stephens Lane in Bar Harbor, responding shortly after noon. The blaze eventually became a three-alarm fire. Main Street from Mount Desert Street to Cottage Street was shut down to vehicle traffic so that certain hoses used in fighting the fire would not be run over.
The homes are at 12 Stephens Lane. One is owned by Scott and Debra Hammond. The other is owned by Stephen Magyar. The Hammonds purchased their home in 2015. The Magyar family has owned that unit since 2000. One condominium is on each floor. None of the homeowners were there at the time the fire began.
An alarm was blown and fire units had to exit the building while fighting the fire due to a potential partial collapse on the second floor shortly before 2 p.m.
Crews or personnel from Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Tremont, Southwest Harbor, Trenton, and Ellsworth helped with the fire and coverage of the island. Bar Harbor police officers and public works helped sand the area to help prevent falls.
Firefighters were still on scene at 3:30 p.m. At approximately 3:42, the fire was declared under control.
On Tuesday, February 25, Bar Harbor Fire Chief Matt Bartlett said that the cause of the fire is still under investigation. Bartlett also said that while both units are currently uninhabitable, the structure is well built and it will be up to an engineer or similar professional to determine if the building can be rehabilitated.
The next day, the Bar Harbor Police and Fire Departments responded to a collapse of the porte-cochère at the Regency Hotel where Mark King, who is originally from Maine, died. Many of his family live in the Bangor and Old Town area.
A press release sent out by the Bar Harbor Police Department said the fire department responded at 6:46 a.m. “to a report of a large canopy that had collapsed.”
Initial reports specified that “one person was reported to have been trapped underneath the collapsed canopy. Upon arrival, Bar Harbor Fire Department worked to locate the trapped person and free them from the collapsed debris.”
“Despite efforts, the individual involved, identified as Mark King, age 64, of Boynton Beach, Florida, was located and succumbed to their injuries. He was pronounced deceased on scene,” the release said.
Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Police Officers conducted an initial death investigation.
“The Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Police Departments are assisting the State of Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the Department of Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) with their continued investigation into this incident. OSHA will serve as the primary investigating agency for this case,” the release said.
BAR HARBOR AND MOUNT DESERT POLICE LOGS
The following incidents occurred in Bar Harbor and Mount Desert last week according to the Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Police Department police logs, which is publicly released information.
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
Officer Ted Cake assisted a motorist in Bar Harbor whose vehicle had slid off of the roadway due to icy road conditions. There was no damage to the vehicle and a tow truck pulled the vehicle back onto the roadway.
Officer Troy Stanwood assisted the Bar Harbor Fire Department with a chimney fire.
Officer Stanwood fingerprinted someone at the Bar Harbor Police Department for identification purposes.
Someone reported some information to Officer T. Cake in Bar Harbor.
Officer Stanwood is investigating some reported vandalism at a public boat landing in Mount Desert.
Officer T. Cake assisted a motorist whose vehicle had broken down in the middle of Eden Street in Bar Harbor and helped the motorist push the vehicle out of the roadway and into a parking area.
Officer Stanwood delivered some sand to a Mount Desert resident.
Officer Shelby O’Neil assisted the Bar Harbor Highway Department with getting some vehicles moved for snow removal.
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Sgt. Soren Sundberg took a secondhand report of a traffic issue that occurred in Bar Harbor.
Officer Elias Burne worked a special traffic detail while the traffic lights on Eden Street in Bar Harbor were replaced.
Rachel Roamer, 25, of Evergreen, Colorado, was collecting signs from Eagle Lake Road in Bar Harbor and when she pulled off to the side of the road, her vehicle, a 2019 Honda CR-V, slid on some ice and into a snowbank. No injuries were reported and the vehicle sustained minor damage to the front passenger side quarter panel.
Bar Harbor Mental Health Liaison Melissa Tozier followed up with someone in Bar Harbor who has some mental health concerns.
Sgt. Jerrod Hardy secured a door on a municipal building in Bar Harbor.
Officer Justin Burnett provided a Bar Harbor resident a ride to MDI Hospital.
Officer Zack Kline documented a complaint by a Mount Desert resident who was reporting a local store employee being rude to them.
Thursday, February 20, 2025
Sgt. Chris Dickens warned a motorist (who was not identified in the press release) for a misdemeanor traffic infraction in Bar Harbor.
Sgt. Dickens passed on a request for a well-being check to another agency.
Friday, February 21, 2025
Aaron Onen, 31, of Maine, was driving a 2013 Jeep north on Route 3 in Bar Harbor when he allegedly lost control due to ice on the roadway and struck a 2017 Honda CR-V that was being driven by Priya Kapur, 44, of Maine. Onen was not injured and Kapur was transported by ambulance to the hospital for complaints of pain. Both vehicles were towed from the scene. The Jeep had front end damage and airbag deployment. The CR-V suffered severe driver’s side damage and had airbag deployment.
Officer Stanwood responded to a domestic situation in Otter Creek and after determining that it was only verbal in nature, separated the parties involved.
Officer Stanwood had a vehicle in Bar Harbor towed for obstructing a public roadway.
Officers responded to a report of an assault at a Bar Harbor business and as a result a man was issued a no trespass warning for the property.
Saturday, February 22, 2025
Following a motor vehicle stop in Bar Harbor, Officer Nathan Formby arrested Dylan Richardson, 28, of Tremont, for alleged operating under the influence. Richardson was transported to the Hancock County jail.
Sgt. Sundberg performed a well-being check on a Bar Harbor resident who was then given medical aid by the Bar Harbor Fire Department.
Sgt. Sundberg checked on some suspicious activity in Bar Harbor and found that no crimes had been committed.
Officer O’Neil responded to a noise complaint in Bar Harbor. No further information or disposition was given.
Sunday, February 23, 2025
Officer O’Neil received a motor vehicle complaint in Mount Desert. No further information or disposition was given.
Officer Formby assisted someone in Bar Harbor.
Monday, February 24, 2025
MHL Tozier provided a ride to someone from MDI Hospital to the person’s residence in Bar Harbor.
MHL Tozier performed a well-being check on someone in Bar Harbor and discussed options for support with the person.
Following a traffic stop in Bar Harbor, Officer Caleb Mora arrested Matthew Robinson, 44, Winterport, for alleged operating after habitual offender revocation, alleged violation of conditions of release, and alleged failure to provide correct name, date of birth, and address. Robinson was transported to the Hancock County jail. Subsequently, Amy Clark, 43, of Winterport was summoned for alleged permitting unlawful use.
Officer Kline delivered sand to a Bar Harbor resident.
SOUTHWEST HARBOR AND TREMONT
The following incidents occurred in Southwest Harbor or Tremont last week according to the Southwest Harbor Police Department police log, which is publicly released information.
Monday, February 17, 2025
Officer James Kamorski responded to a vehicle in a ditch in Southwest Harbor and provided emergency lighting until a tow truck arrived and pulled the vehicle back onto the roadway.
Chief John Hall responded to a report of a dog running loose in Southwest Harbor but could not locate the dog.
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
Officer Kamorski responded to a noise complaint in Southwest Harbor and resolved the issue after speaking with all of the involved people.
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
A Southwest Harbor resident surrendered an air rifle and an air pistol to the Southwest Harbor Police Department.
Officer Kamorski took a report of an accident that caused property damage in Southwest Harbor. The accident occurred on February 17 and Officer Kamorski could not generate any leads or produce any evidence that an actual accident even happened.
Thursday, February 20, 2025
Chief Hall received a complaint regarding a man without a home sleeping in a laundromat in Southwest Harbor, but the man was gone upon Chief Hall’s arrival.
Chief Hall responded to a report of a minor crash in Southwest Harbor in which there was no damage and neither party involved wanted to make a report.
Officer Kamorski assisted a Southwest Harbor resident with moving the resident’s deceased pet into their vehicle for transport.
Officer Kamorski took a report of possible threatening in Southwest Harbor. The complainant only wanted the matter on file at this time.
Friday, February 21, 2025
Chief John Hall responded to a report of a dogs running loose near the children’s center in Southwest Harbor but could not locate the dogs upon his arrival.
Stacy Lundin, 77, of Massachusetts was driving a 2001 GMC 1500 on Village Green Way in Southwest Harbor. Ryan Tewhey, 42, of Southwest Harbor was driving a 2017 Subaru Outback on Village Green Way and somehow the two vehicles contacted each other. There was no crash description but there were no reported injuries and both vehicles sustained functional damage.
Saturday, February 22, 2025
Officer Kamorksi assisted the Bar Harbor Police Department with a case in Tremont.
Officer Kamorski responded to a report of a possible lost hiker in Tremont and when he arrived, the possibly lost hiker’s vehicle was gone. No further information or disposition was given.
Sunday, February 23, 2025
Sgt. Ryan Blakeney assisted a Southwest Harbor resident with sanding the resident’s walkway to the mailbox.
Sgt. Blakeney was enroute to assist EMS with a medical call in Tremont but his assistance was no longer needed prior to his arrival.
STATE POLICE PRESS RELEASES
These are the Maine State Police press releases from the last few days. The Bar Harbor Story will include these each week though most (and sometimes all) do not occur on Mount Desert Island.
Maine State Police Investigating Homicide in Readfield
READFIELD—On Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at approximately 10:02 a.m., the Maine State Police and Winthrop Police Department responded to a 911 call reporting an incident at a home on Giles Road in Readfield. Upon arrival, troopers discovered a deceased adult female outside the house. The deceased has been identified as 32-year-old Margaux Whittemore, of Belfast.
Responding officers found 67-year-old Dorothy Whittemore, the homeowner suffering from injuries inside the residence. She was transported to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston where she was listed in critical condition. Her condition has since been upgraded.
The suspect, 34-year-old Samuel Whittemore, of Belfast fled the scene and was taken into custody by a trooper a short distance away. He was transported to Maine General Hospital in Augusta for an evaluation and has since been transported to the Kennebec County Jail where he has been charged with murder.
Margaux and Samuel Whittemore were married and lived in Belfast. At the time of the incident, they were visiting Samuel’s parent’s home on Giles Road in Readfield. Dorothy Whittemore is Samuel’s mother. His father was not inside the house at the time but arrived shortly after the incident occurred.
The deceased was transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta where an autopsy was performed Thursday morning, February 20, 2025. The manner of death has been ruled a homicide. The cause of death is not being released at this time.
Maine State Police Investigating Rollover Crash in Kittery
KITTERY—On Friday, February 21, 2025, at 12:10 a.m., Troopers from Troop G responded to mile marker 2 on I-95 southbound in Kittery for a single vehicle rollover. Troopers arrived on scene and located a gold Buick sedan on its roof blocking the left and middle lanes. Troopers observed the driver, identified as 48-year-old Kristopher Robidas-Adams, of Berwick, trapped inside the vehicle. Troopers along with Kittery police attempted to extricate Robidas-Adams from the vehicle but were unsuccessful due to the severity of the damage.
Kittery Fire/EMS along with York Fire/EMS provided medical aid and extricated Robidas-Adams from the vehicle. He was transported to Portsmouth hospital where he is listed in critical condition. The Turnpike was fully closed southbound from exit 7 for approximately 2 hours. The crash remains under investigation.
Maine State Police Facilitates Peaceful Surrender in Lowell Domestic Violence Incident
LOWELL—On Sunday, February 23, 2025, at approximately 4:00 p.m., troopers responded to a 911 call from a female reporting a domestic violence situation. Troopers arrived at the residence on West Old Main Rd in Lowell and were able to assist the victim to safety. Her husband 55-year-old Andrew York, of Lowell, remained inside the residence and refused to come out.
Officers maintained a presence at the scene while attempting to establish contact with York. On Monday, February 24, 2025, at approximately 2:30 p.m., the Maine State Police Tactical Team and Crisis Negotiation Team arrived to assist. By 4:30 p.m., negotiators successfully secured York’s surrender.
York was arrested without incident and transported to a local hospital for evaluation. Once released he will be transported to the Penobscot County Jail where he will be charged with domestic violence-related offenses. No injuries were reported. The investigation remains ongoing.
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.
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