Wells

Ogunquit man faces charges after chase through 4 towns

Additional Images

Joe Whitmore folds the arms of a swing ride Monday at the Pittston Fair Grounds. Several rides owned by Kavanaugh Amusements are being broken down this week to travel to carnival shows across Maine. Andy Molloy/Kennebec Journal

An Ogunquit man was charged with drunken driving and reckless conduct after he led Wells police on a car chase through four towns Saturday night.

Timothy A. Gregoire, 42, was taken into custody on Route 1 after Wells police and Maine State Police stopped his car using a tire-deflating device. He was charged with operating under the influence, eluding an officer, reckless conduct and criminal speeding.

Police say the incident began about 11:30 p.m. when an officer pulled Gregoire over for speeding on Littlefield Road, also known as Route 9B. Before he stopped, Gregoire allegedly tried to hide his car in the area of Ridge Top Lane.

As an officer approached the car, Gregoire pulled away and sped off going north on Route 1, according to police. He failed to stop for officers for 22.1 miles before he was stopped as he re-entered Wells on Route 1, police said.

Gregoire was unable to make $10,000 cash bail and was taken to the York County Jail. He is scheduled to appear in court July 10.

Westbrook

Man, 20, charged with OUI after crashing car into trees

A 20-year-old Westbrook man was charged with drunken driving after he crashed his Toyota RAV4 into the woods along Methodist Road in Westbrook early Monday morning.

Jacob A. Demmons was charged with operating under the influence, violating a condition of release and leaving the scene of an accident, after he apparently lost control of his car about 3 a.m.

Two passengers were taken to a hospital with minor injuries: a 22-year-old Raymond woman and a 20-year-old Westbrook man. Police did not release the names of the passengers.

Augusta

Overdose deaths in Maine increased to 176 in 2013

Deaths caused by drug overdoses in Maine increased from 163 in 2012 to 176 last year, according to the Maine Attorney General’s Office and the Office of Chief Medical Examiner.

Pharmaceutical opioids caused 105 of the deaths, and 34 were due to heroin overdoses, with other drugs causing the other deaths.

The number of drug overdose deaths has been high over the past 13 years, exceeding deaths caused by highway crashes, according to a news release.

“Maine medical and law enforcement communities have made a concerted effort to reduce access to opioids in Maine,” said Attorney General Janet Mills. “However, the statistics show there is still a major addiction problem in our state. Law enforcement, prosecutors, the medical community and educators must work in concert to prevent people from becoming addicted in the first place.”

Heroin deaths increased from seven in 2011 to 28 in 2012 before climbing to 34 last year. Heroin use is increasing due to restricted access to prescription opioids. Some of those addicted to prescription opioids, such as oxycodone, turn to heroin when they can’t get their prescriptions, according to the news release.

Saco

Felon arrested for handgun after report of threatening

Saco police on Monday charged a man with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon after he allegedly threatened his girlfriend with a gun.

Jamison E. Snyder, 42, of Temple St. got into an argument early Sunday with his girlfriend at their apartment, but he blocked her way when she attempted to leave, police said. The woman then fell asleep, and when she awoke, Snyder was pointing a black handgun at her, according to police. He told the woman to “get out of the apartment.”

Snyder was previously convicted in 2007 of unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs.

Police obtained search and arrest warrants on Sunday while officers conducted surveillance at Temple Street. When Snyder left the residence in a taxi Monday, police pulled the cab over and arrested him.

Snyder is being held on $2,000 bail. Saco police said they will seek an indictment and may file additional charges against him. He is set to appear in York County Superior Court in Alfred on July 17.

Freeport

Police enlisting public’s help to find storage units’ burglar

Someone cut off the locks and broke into about 30 storage units in Freeport over the weekend, making off with a long list of valuables and personal belongings.

Freeport police are asking for help from the public to identify whoever broke into the units at Interstate Self Storage, 26 Durham Road, sometime between 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday.

“We’re still compiling a list. We don’t have a list of everything that was stolen yet,” Detective Gino Bianchini said Monday.

Bianchini said he and Officer Paul Powers are in the process of identifying people who rent the storage units that were broken into and learning what was stored there. Bianchini declined to comment further on the investigation.

Police are asking anyone with information to call Powers or Bianchini at 865-4800.

St. FRANCIS

Police still looking for man suspected in fatal shooting

Authorities continued Monday to search for a St. Francis man wanted in connection with the shooting death of his girlfriend.

Police say 38-year-old Jesse Marquis is considered armed and dangerous.

Steve McCausland of the Maine Public Safety Department said wardens and troopers did a “shoulder-to-shoulder” search in the woods on Monday.

Marquis was last seen early Saturday fleeing into the woods after leaving the home of 31-year-old Amy Theriault in the town along the Canadian border. She had been shot.

He was last seen with a rifle.

He is described as 5-foot-7, 150 pounds, with black hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing jeans, a green hooded sweatshirt, and a baseball hat.

Bangor

Ex-basketball star stands trial on child porn charges

Testimony in the trial of a former Maine college basketball star who faces child pornography charges has concluded.

Dana Wilson of Brewer, a well-known disc jockey at school dances and a former member of the Maine Sports Hall of Fame, stood trial Monday before a judge after withdrawing a no-contest plea in January.

The judge said closing arguments will be held later.

The state contends illicit materials were found on Wilson’s home computer. But WZON-AM said the defense contends someone besides Wilson could have downloaded the materials.

Wilson averaged an NCAA Division III best of nearly 35 points a game his senior year at Husson College in 1974. His induction into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 has been revoked.

Portland

Public can weigh in June 19 on foam ban, bag fee plans

Portland’s City Council will hold public hearings on June 19 on proposals to ban polystyrene foam food or beverage containers and to impose a 5 cent fee on disposable shopping bags.

Council members held a first reading of the two proposals on Monday night and could vote on the ordinances following second readings and public hearings during the June 19 meeting, set for 7 p.m. at City Hall.

After months of discussion, the council’s Transportation, Sustainability and Energy Committee recommended prohibiting most retailers from using plastic foam or polystyrene food and beverage containers beginning July 1, 2015. Additionally, the same committee endorsed a proposed ordinance requiring retailers to collect a 5 cent fee on disposable plastic and paper shopping bags.

Supporters say the two proposals will reduce litter. Some retailers and members of the city’s business community have opposed the measures, however.

City honors top graduates from three high schools

Portland city officials honored the city’s top-ranking high school graduates on Monday as the three schools prepare to hold commencement ceremonies this week.

The City Council issued proclamations for the following graduates during its Monday evening meeting: Deering High School valedictorian Zachary Duperry and salutatorian Jordan Roche; Portland High School valedictorian Annette Pelikan Denekas and salutatorian Monica Reno; and Casco Bay High School students Ava Koenigsberg and Meghan Suslovic, who had the highest academic rankings. All six students were present to receive copies of the proclamations.

Portland High School’s graduation ceremony will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Merrill Auditorium. Deering High will hold its ceremony on at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Cumberland County Civic Center. Casco Bay High’s commencement will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at Merrill Auditorium.

Augusta

LePage attacks Democrats over Alexander Group deal

Gov. Paul LePage says Democrats should “stay out of the Executive Branch’s business” regarding a contract with a group reviewing the state’s Medicaid program.

In a letter to House Speaker Mark Eves and Democratic Senate President Justin Alfond on Monday, LePage accused Democrats of trying to score political points and said they should focus on issues “that really matter to Maine people.”

Eves and Alfond sent a letter to LePage last week saying they were encouraged that the state has suspended the payments to The Alexander Group amid plagiarism concerns, but are concerned Maine won’t be able to recoup past payments.

Newspaper reports said that the group copied or improperly cited several other organizations’ works. The group has said that it failed to use proper footnotes.

– From staff and news services

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