WINDHAM

Lewiston man who hit boy near school bus indicted

A Lewiston man who hit an 11-year-old boy while driving around a school bus faces three charges.

A Cumberland County grand jury indicted Ryan Boucher, 23, on charges of aggravated assault, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and passing a stopped school bus.

Windham police said the bus was stopped with its yellow lights flashing on Route 115 the morning of the Dec. 22 incident.

Police said the victim, Xin Lao Chen was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland for treatment. He was not seriously injured.

WALDOBORO

Robber kept outside when bank employees lock doors

Sharp-eyed employees of a Waldoboro bank prevented a robbery this week by spotting a suspicious man outside and quickly locking the bank’s doors so he couldn’t get in.

A 41-year-old Waldoboro man was arrested later and charged with attempted robbery.

Police say that about noon Wednesday, an employee at the Camden National Bank noticed a man walk out of the nearby woods wearing dark clothing, a ski mask and sunglasses, with his hood pulled up.

He ran toward the bank, but workers had already locked all the doors, so the man ran back into the woods.

No customers were inside at the time.

Workers called 911 and police launched an investigation that led to the arrest nearly 12 hours later of Carroll Demmons at his home.

EDDINGTON

West Enfield driver likely texting before fatal crash

Police say text messaging behind the wheel likely played a factor in a fatal car crash in Eddington.

Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Troy Morton says the investigation has revealed that the driver was sending and receiving text messages in the moments before Wednesday night’s crash.

Police say Tracy McPhee, 44, of West Enfield died when the vehicle she was driving struck a tree head-on just after 11 p.m. Her passenger, Velvet Cole, 31, was hospitalized.

Morton tells the Bangor Daily News there were no skid marks. McPhee, a mother of two, died at the scene.

Maine joined 33 other states last year in banning texting while driving.

JACKMAN

Snowmobile crash injures Massachusetts woman

A Massachusetts woman suffered serious injuries in a snowmobile crash in northern Maine.

The Maine Warden Service says Bonnie Sancomb, 46, of Hopkinton was in a group of six snowmobilers from Massachusetts and Connecticut who were riding a trail between Jackman and Rockwood on Thursday morning.

Officials say Sancomb missed a turn on the trail and crashed in some woods, where her machine landed on top of her. When members of her riding group found her, the snowmobile track was continuing to spin on top her, causing serious torso injuries.

The warden service say Sancomb was flown by helicopter to Eastern Maine Medical Center.

Wardens say it appears speed and unfamiliarity with the area might have contributed to the crash.

SOUTH PORTLAND

Wright Express offers app locating gas stations, prices

A Maine-based fuel management company has come out with a new mobile app aimed at helping motorists save money at the pump.

Wright Express Corp., which provides payment processing services for commercial and government vehicle fleets nationwide, has launched an app that gives drivers the locations of nearby gas stations and up-to-date transaction-based fuel prices.

The South Portland company says the app, called Octane, is targeted toward fleet drivers but is available for free to anybody.

The app is available on iPhone and Android mobile devices.

AUGUSTA

Administration, state worker union case heads to court

A battle between the administration of Gov. Paul LePage and one of the state’s biggest labor unions is headed to court.

The director of Maine’s Labor Relations Board this week denied a request from the Republican administration to dismiss a complaint filed by the Maine State Employees Association workers.

The judge rejected all but one element of the union complaint, but ruled that the administration must stand trial before the board on charges that it negotiated in bad faith and interfered with the rights of MSEA workers.

A union official tells the Bangor Daily News that the administration has proposed deep concessions from state workers with no attempt to negotiate.

NORRIDGEWOCK

Fired worker can’t serve on board until bill issue resolved

A fired Norridgewock town worker who was elected to the Board of Selectmen will not officially serve until the issue of unpaid sewer bills she was responsible for is resolved.

Charlotte Curtis attended Wednesday’s board meeting but was not allowed to vote.

Whether she will be sworn in will be determined after the four other selectmen gather legal advice.

In her previous elected town treasurer position, Curtis did not collect complete payment on all overdue sewer accounts. The unpaid bills are considered her responsibility.

The Morning Sentinel reports that Town Manager Michelle Flewelling told the board that the law does not allow a person to serve as both treasurer and selectman.

Flewelling fired Curtis for allegedly secretly recording town hall conversations.

PARIS

Norway man involved in break-ins gets two years

A Norway man police say broke into more than a dozen homes and businesses in early 2010 has been sentenced to two years in prison.

Authorities say Shawn McAuliffe, 21, was sentenced in Oxford County Superior Court this week to 10 years behind bars with all but two suspended and six years of probation. He pleaded guilty to 31 of more than 70 charges, including burglary, criminal mischief and theft by unauthorized taking.

The Sun Journal reports that the charges were from break-ins across Oxford County, including homes and businesses in Norway, Otisfield, Waterford, Stoneham, Greenwood and Sweden.

Authorities say McAuliffe and two other men stole televisions, household appliances and other items.

One of the other men has already been sentenced, while the third is awaiting sentencing.

— From staff and news services