Two Electric Bikes Stolen in Bar Harbor
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BAR HARBOR—According to the Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Police Department press release, on April 29, someone reported the theft of two electric bikes from the LeBrun parking lot on Greeley Avenue in Bar Harbor.
The victim of the theft told the Bar Harbor Story that at the time of the theft, she had the batteries and the seats in her possession and they were not taken with the bikes.
The bikes were stolen on April 27 and the theft is being investigated by Sgt. Doug Brundrett.
There are surveillance camera images from a nearby business that appear to show three individuals walking with the bikes from the LeBrun parking lot towards Cottage Street at approximately 11:11 a.m., on April 27.
If you have any information regarding this incident please call Sgt. Brundrett at 207-288-3391.
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, April 29, 2025
Mental Health Liaison Melissa Tozier followed up with someone in Bar Harbor about housing and relationship crises.
MHL Tozier met with someone in Bar Harbor for crisis support.
Sgt. Brundrett responded to a complaint of a vehicle parked in front of a fire hydrant on Rodick Street in Bar Harbor and the vehicle moved along before he could contact the driver.
MHL Tozier met with someone in Bar Harbor about a family member.
The Bar Harbor Police Department received a motor vehicle complaint. No further information or disposition was given.
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Officer Nathan Formby transported someone in Bar Harbor from the hospital to the person’s residence.
Sgt. Soren Sundberg fingerprinted someone in Bar Harbor for employment purposes.
A Bar Harbor resident reported trash from the transfer station in Bar Harbor blowing around. A transfer station employee was contacted to pick up the debris.
Sgt. Chris Dickens received a complaint regarding vehicles speeding on the Eagle Lake Road in Bar Harbor in the area of Acadia National Park headquarters. This area will be added to the directed patrol list.
Sgt. Brundrett received a motor vehicle complaint in the area of Peabody Drive in Mount Desert but could locate the suspect vehicle.
Sgt. Jerrod Hardy performed a security check of a Bar Harbor business after business hours after he noticed an open door. There was a contractor working inside the building.
Officer Justin Burnett assisted the fire department with a medical call in Bar Harbor.
Thursday, May 1, 2025
Officer Zack Kline responded to a report of music coming from a Bar Harbor church. He found that it was a radio that had been left on by a contractor but the church was secure.
Sgt. Sundberg performed a well-being check in Bar Harbor and the person to be checked on was transported to the hospital by the Bar Harbor ambulance.
Sgt. Sundberg removed litter that had come loose from a trailer from the roadway in Bar Harbor and took it to the transfer station.
Sgt. Sundberg performed a taxi inspection in Bar Harbor.
Sgt. Sundberg responded to a complaint of a vehicle parked in a no parking area in Bar Harbor, was on scene in less than a minute, and the vehicle was already gone.
Sgt. Dickens is investigating a theft complaint in Mount Desert.
Sgt. Sundberg assisted with a mental health issue in Bar Harbor.
Officer Kaleb Payson assisted a motorist with a broken-down vehicle in Mount Desert.
Friday, May 2, 2025
Sgt. Sundberg performed a well-being check on a Bar Harbor family and found that they were not in any need of assistance and had people who were helping them with their issues.
Sgt. Sundberg took a report of a vehicle parked in a crosswalk in Bar Harbor but the vehicle was gone upon his arrival. Sgt. Sundberg asked that parking enforcement personnel prioritize these violations.
Edward L. Openshaw, 78, of Bar Harbor was driving a 2025 Ford F-150 south on Route 3 in Bar Harbor when he allegedly lost control of the truck. The truck left the roadway and went into a ditch, came out of the ditch, going airborne over a driveway, and into another ditch before coming to rest against a utility pole guywire. Openshaw complained of wrist pain but was not transported to the hospital. Openshaw’s unidentified passenger complained of chest and shoulder pain and had scratches on her face. She was transported to MDI Hospital. The truck was towed due to disabling damage.
Officer O’Neil assisted someone in Bar Harbor.
Sgt. Dickens assisted a motorist in Bar Harbor who had a flat tire.
Saturday, May 3, 2025
Officer Formby assisted the fire department with a medical call in Bar Harbor.
Officer O’Neil arrested Daren Cross, 46, of Bar Harbor, in Mount Desert, on an arrest warrant charging failure to appear. Cross was transported to the Hancock County Jail.
Officer O’Neil issued a trespass warning to someone for the ball field in Town Hill.
Officer O’Neil responded to a parking issue in Bar Harbor. No further information or disposition was given.
Officer O’Neil performed a requested well-being check in Mount Desert. No further information or disposition was given.
Officer Formby checked on someone who is a minor in Bar Harbor. The person was found to be okay and Officer Formby consulted with the person’s parents.
Sunday, May 4, 2025
Officer O’Neil performed a VIN number verification for a tow company in Bar Harbor.
Officer Kevin Edgecomb responded to a loose dog complaint at the ball fields in Bar Harbor. He located the dog at a nearby residence and located the owner who did not realize that the dog had run off.
Officer Burnett received a motor vehicle complaint in Bar Harbor but could not locate the vehicle.
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, April 28, 2025
Officer Kristin Roulet responded to a loose dog complaint in Southwest Harbor, located the dog, and returned it to its residence.
Officer Roulet responded to a noise complaint regarding a vehicle horn going off for a long period of time in Southwest Harbor. Officer Roulet located the vehicle and was able to silence the horn.
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
A Tremont town employee reported what they thought was a vehicle off the road on the Cape Road in Tremont. Officer Rick Graham responded and discovered that the vehicle was having mechanical issues and the owner of the vehicle had pulled it onto their own property to work on the vehicle.
Officer Graham responded with the Southwest Harbor Fire Department to a fire alarm at an apartment building in Southwest Harbor that was the result of a cooking error.
While conducting foot patrol in Southwest Harbor, Officer Graham located an unsecured business and contacted the business owner.
Officer Graham assisted the ambulance service with lifting a patient in Tremont.
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Someone reported speeding vehicles heading into Southwest Harbor but gave no vehicle descriptions. Officer Graham looked for speeding vehicles but could not locate any.
Thursday, May 1, 2025
Officer James Kamorski responded to a loose dog complaint in Southwest Harbor and found the dog’s owner to be retrieving it when he arrived.
Friday, May 2, 2025
Officer Roulet was requested to assist the ambulance service and fire department with a combative patient in Southwest Harbor. The patient was under control when Officer Roulet arrived.
Susan Parsley, 62, of Tremont, was driving a 2008 Ford Edge on the Tremont Road in Tremont when she allegedly struck the guardrail on the Tremont Road bridge. There was no reported injury and the vehicle suffered moderate damage.
Officer Roulet responded to a report of a loose dog barking at a fire pit in Southwest Harbor. Officer Roulet returned the dog to its owner.
Saturday, May 3, 2025
Officer Roulet received a report of speeding vehicles on the Tremont Road in Tremont, conducted some observation of the area, located one vehicle, and warned the driver.
Officer Graham responded to a fire alarm at the Southwest Harbor Library in Southwest Harbor. No issues could be found.
After receiving a complaint of a possible assault at a Southwest Harbor apartment building, Officer Graham investigated and arrested Mathew P. Campbell, 50, of Massachusetts, for alleged domestic violence assault. Campbell was transported to the Hancock County Jail.
Officer Kamorski investigated a report of gunshots on the Seawall Road in Southwest Harbor but could not locate any gunshots or anything suspicious.
Sunday, May 4, 2025
A Tremont resident reported an abandoned bicycle on Main Street in Southwest Harbor. Officer Kamorski retrieved the bicycle and placed into storage at the police department.
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 Palermo
PALERMO—On April 19, 2025, at approximately 10:30 a.m., the Maine State Police responded to 128 Boots and Saddle Road in Palermo for a welfare check. Upon arrival, troopers discovered the body of a deceased male outside of the residence.
Detectives from the Major Crimes Unit Central responded and determined the circumstances of the death to be suspicious. The deceased was transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta, where an autopsy was conducted. The individual has been identified as 56-year-old Robert Bruso, of Palermo. The manner of death has been ruled homicide. The cause of death is not being released at this time.
There is no known danger to the public. Bruso owned a golden retriever named Lenny, who has not yet been located. Anyone with information about the location of Lenny, or who may have seen a golden retriever in the area of Route 3 near Boots and Saddle Road and/or Level Hill Road in Palermo, is asked to contact the Augusta Regional Communication Center at 207.624.7076
Fatal Fire Investigation Ongoing at 11 Olympia Street in Portland
PORTLAND—On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at approximately 8:00 a.m., Investigators from the Fire Marshal’s Office (FMO) executed a search warrant at 11 Olympia Street in Portland in connection with a fatal fire that occurred at the property on March 6, 2025.
The investigation is ongoing and being conducted with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FMO Inspections Division, Portland Police Department, and Portland Fire Department. Investigators were actively working the scene for two days. As part of the operation, the area surrounding 11 Olympia Street was closed to traffic. The public was advised to avoid the area while investigators continue to collect evidence. As this is an active investigation, we won’t be getting into specifics at this time.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta has officially identified the victim of the March 6, 2025, fire at 11 Olympia St. in Portland as 36-year-old Douglas Grant, of Portland.
Maine State Police Ends Pursuit with PIT Maneuver, Husband and Wife Arrested in West Gardiner
WEST GARDINER—On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at approximately 1:30 p.m., a trooper from the Maine State Police Central Field Troop observed a black Chevrolet Impala on Townhouse Road in West Gardiner. The vehicle was driven by 34-year-old Pearle Thomas, of Augusta, with her husband, 33-year-old Zebbie Thomas, of Charleston, as a passenger.
Zebbie Thomas has multiple active arrest warrants issued by other law enforcement agencies for felony robbery, aggravated assault, and violating conditions of release. Zebbie and Pearle have evaded law enforcement multiple times in past weeks during efforts to apprehend them.
Today an attempt to initiate a traffic stop was made, but the Impala failed to pull over and a pursuit ensued. For the safety of the public and responding personnel, the trooper executed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver on West Road in West Gardiner successfully terminating the pursuit.
Both Pearl and Zebbie Thomas were taken into custody without further incident. Both were treated at a local hospital for minor injuries and then transported to the Kennebec County Jail upon release.
Pearle and Zebbie Thomas are charged with eluding, driving to endanger, and failure to stop. West Gardiner and Gardiner Fire Department’s assisted on scene.
MDEA Arrests Four People For Drug Trafficking Offenses Following Two Search Warrants
ADDISON—On the morning of Wednesday April 30, with the assistance of the Maine State Police Tactical Team, two search warrants were simultaneously executed in Addison. The search warrants were the result of a months long drug trafficking investigation at 380 East Side Rd and 362 Indian River Rd which included undercover purchases of fentanyl and cocaine base (crack).
Evidence of drug trafficking was seized from both locations.
Arrested were:
Denise Batson, 49, of Addison. Class B unlawful trafficking of fentanyl and cocaine base. $2500 cash bail.
Ronald Robinson, 70, of Addison. Class A aggravated trafficking of fentanyl. Charge was aggravated for prior drug trafficking conviction. $10,000 cash bail.
Daniel Nash, 30, no hometown given. Class B unlawful trafficking fentanyl. $5000 cash bail.
Shawn Davis, 29, of Bronx, NY. Class B unlawful trafficking fentanyl and cocaine base. $100,000 cash bail.
Davis was located later at a Bangor Apartment, taken into custody without incident, and transported to Washington County Jail.
More arrests are expected based on this investigation.
Maine Drug Enforcement’s Down East Task Force was also assisted by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Maine State Police, and Bangor Police Department.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Maine State Police Make Arrest in 1984 Murder of Linda Maxwell
BANGOR—Linda Maxwell, age 18, was last seen in the Calais area on August 23, 1984, after spending the evening with friends. Two days later her body was recovered along the shoreline of the St. Croix River in Robbinston, in Washington County. Despite an extensive investigation at the time, the case remained unsolved.
On Thursday May 1, 2025, over 40 years later, the Maine State Police made an arrest in Linda Maxwell’s murder. Following an intensive and expanded investigation by Detectives from the Major Crimes Unit-Unsolved (MCU-U) and the Major Crimes Unit-North (MCU-N), the Attorney General’s Office presented the case to the Washington County Grand Jury, which returned an indictment charging 65-year-old Raymond Brown, of Bangor, formerly of Pembroke, with murder.
At approximately 4:15 p.m., May 1, Brown was taken into custody after a traffic stop on Broadway in Bangor. Brown will be transported to the Washington County Jail, where he will be held without bail.
This arrest reflects the continued commitment of the Maine State Police and the Attorney General’s Office to pursue justice in homicide cases, regardless of how much time has passed. Anyone with information related to this case, or any unsolved homicide or missing persons case, is encouraged to contact the Maine State Police.
Augusta: 207-624-7076 or 1-800-452-4664
Bangor: 207-973-3700 or 1-800-432-7381
Houlton: 207-532-5400 or 1-800-924-2261
MDEA and Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office Arrest Two For Aggravated Drug Trafficking
BELGRADE—For the past 2 months, MDEA Agents, State Police, and the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Department have been jointly investigating drug trafficking in the Town of Belgrade.
MDEA Agents have been making undercover buys of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine base directly from Matthew Lyons, 27, at his residence located at 151 Knowles Road, Belgrade.
On May 1, 2025, at 7:00 a.m., agents served a search warrant at 151 Knowles Road. The State Police Tactical Team was utilized given the criminal history of the potential occupants of the residence. Once the residence was cleared, agents conducted a search and seized 123.7 grams of fentanyl, and an assortment of diverted pharmaceuticals.
Lyons has a prior conviction in 2023 for unlawful drug trafficking, class B. Lyons was charged with one count of aggravated trafficking schedule W drugs.
Bail was set at $8000 for Lyons.
Maryellen Remington, 34, of 151 Knowles Road, Belgrade, was charged with one count of aggravated trafficking Schedule W Drugs and a warrant for failure to appear.
No bail was allowed for Remington pursuant to the failure to appear warrant.
Lyons is currently being held at the Kennebec County Jail awaiting an initial court appearance.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The MDEA stands committed to working with all federal, state, county, and local law enforcement partners in order to continue to identify and disrupt drug trafficking organizations who are attempting to distribute illicit drugs like fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine in the State of Maine.
If you or someone you know suffers from substance, use disorder, please call 211 or text your zip code to 898-211 for a list of resources available in your area.
If you have information about this investigation or the illegal sale of drugs in your community, you are urged to contact the Maine Drug Enforcement office closest to you or by texting MDEA to TIP411 (847411) or by calling the MDEA tip-line at 1-800-452-6457.
MaineState Police Investigating Tractor-Trailer Crash on Maine Turnpike in Arundel
ARUNDEL—On Saturday, May 3, 2025, at approximately 7:58 a.m., Maine State Police Troop G responded to a report of a tractor-trailer crash near mile marker 30 northbound on the Maine Turnpike in Arundel. Troopers arrived to find the tractor-trailer had struck the median guardrail and caught fire. The driver, who sustained minor injuries, is believed to have suffered a medical event prior to the crash. He was transported to Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford for treatment.
The tractor-trailer was loaded with general freight. As a result of the crash, the left and middle northbound lanes were closed for several hours while crews worked to investigate and clear the scene. Traffic was moderately impacted.
The crash remains under investigation. Agencies assisting at the scene included Wells Fire, Kennebunk Fire, Chandler’s Towing, National Towing, and the Maine Turnpike Authority.
Maine State Police Investigates Fatal Crash in Cornish
CORNISH—On Monday, May 5, 2025, at approximately 1:42 p.m., Maine State Police Troopers responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash at 1277 Sokokis Trail North in Cornish. The initial investigation indicates that 51-year-old Dawn Webber, of Limerick, was operating a Ford Fusion northbound on Sokokis Trail North when she crossed the center line and veered into oncoming traffic.
Her vehicle collided head-on with a Ford F-350 commercial vehicle that was towing a trailer carrying two pickup trucks. The driver of the Ford F-350 was not injured.
Webber was pronounced deceased at the scene. The road was closed for approximately six hours while members of the Maine State Police Traffic Safety Unit reconstructed the scene. The Commercial Vehicle Unit also assisted, along with surrounding fire and EMS agencies. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
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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