SOUTH PORTLAND

Police apprehend men hiding in crawl space

Police found two men hiding in a bedroom wall crawl space Sunday afternoon after one of the men allegedly broke into a neighbor’s apartment and stole prescription medication.

Sgt. Steve Webster said a witness notified South Portland police after seeing 26-year-old Rourke Sparks climb a set of stairs on the side of an apartment building at 919 Broadway and enter a second-floor apartment through a small window.

When police arrived, the victim returned home and verified that prescription medication was missing from the medicine cabinet. The witness identified Sparks, who lives on the third floor, but when police tried to establish contact, he refused to open the door.

After obtaining a search warrant, police entered the third-floor apartment, but could not find anyone inside.

Police eventually found Sparks hiding in what Webster described as a “very small crawl space.” He refused to surrender at first. Once Sparks exited the space, police found  27-year-old Derrick Splude of South Portland hiding under a tarp in the crawl space.

Sparks was charged with Class B burglary and theft. Splude faces charges of refusing to submit to arrest and possession of drugs.

Both men were being held at the Cumberland County Jail on Sunday night.

DERBY, Vt.

Portland woman charged after chase in Vermont

A Portland woman faces multiple criminal charges after leading Vermont State Police and U.S. Border Patrol agents on a high-speed chase through northern Vermont early Sunday.

State police Sgt. Michael LaCourse said Kimberly A. Saunders, 46, who was driving a 2001 Toyota Rav4, was apprehended on a dead-end road in Derby, after a high-speed pursuit that lasted for more than 22 miles.

Police said Saunders exhibited signs of intoxication and was subsequently charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

During the pursuit, police allege that Saunders deliberately tried to force several police vehicles off the road.

She also faces charges of trying to elude police, trespass by motor vehicle, possession of marijuana, and attempted aggravated assault. She was charged with several civil traffic violations.

Authorities said the chase began around 8:45 a.m. after Saunders, who was entering the United States from Canada, failed to stop at the Route 5 Port of Entry in Derby Line on the Canadian border.

She is being held at the Northern State Correctional Facility.

CONCORD, N.H.

State taking bids from private prison companies

New Hampshire is weighing bids from four companies that are interested in running the state’s prisons.

The Concord Monitor says that doesn’t mean the state will go with a private company rather that retain its management of its prisons and inmates.

However, the idea may have more political support now than it did last time it was considered, in 2004. Still, doubts about cost savings and inmate security are as strong as ever.

The state employees’ union fought privatization eight years ago and opposes it now. The union’s president, Diana Lacey, told the Monitor that the for-profit prison industry has grown and gained influence with state and federal legislators.

The bids were requested by legislative order. Gov. John Lynch’s office says it’s worthwhile to look at different options.