ROCKLAND

Prison inmate found guilty of taking hostages in 2008

A Maine State Prison inmate who took two people hostage there in 2008 has been convicted of all 11 charges stemming from the incident.

Michael Chasse was convicted Friday following a two-week trial.

Chasse, who acted as his own lawyer, spent two days on the witness stand.

Chasse said he had unknowingly eaten a paper containing LSD on June 30, 2008, the day he took a prison librarian and another inmate hostage, using a makeshift knife.

He also said he was suffering from post-traumatic stress because of spending so many years in the prison segregation unit. The jury found him guilty of kidnapping, elevated aggravated assault and other charges.

Chasse was serving time for attacking the brother of former Sen. William Cohen and for an escape.

AUGUSTA

Bureau of Highway Safety gets $500,000 U.S. grant

The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety has received a $500,000 federal grant that will be used on several data-related projects.

Highway Safety Director Lauren Stewart said the money will fund improvements to Maine’s crash reporting system and an electronic program to monitor and tabulate motor vehicle violations and summonses. Another project will collect data from ambulance calls.

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