POLAND — A standoff at a home in the Androscoggin County town of Poland ended peacefully Thursday afternoon when a man who held police at bay for five hours surrendered.
Michael T. Winslow Sr., 65, of 475 White Oak Hill Road, surrendered to the Maine State Police Tactical Response Team around 3:30 p.m.
Androscoggin County Sheriff Eric Samson told reporters during a news conference that Winslow was taken to the county jail in Auburn where he was charged by police with domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening and violation of bail conditions.
Because Winslow violated the terms of his release following an arrest related to a previous domestic disturbance, he is not eligible for bail.
According to records obtained from the Maine State Bureau of Identification, Winslow was charged with domestic violence terrorizing in October 2014. That case is still pending, but state records show that Winslow has a lengthy criminal record dating back 40 years.
His criminal record dates back to 1974 when he was charged with possession of marijuana. Past convictions include several counts of misdemeanor criminal mischief and aggravated drug trafficking in 1992. Winslow was sentenced to two years in prison with all but four months suspended in January 1993.
The standoff began around 10:30 a.m. after Winslow’s wife called police for help. When members of the state police tactical team arrived, along with an armored vehicle, crime scene team and numerous troopers, Winslow barricaded himself in his house.
His wife, who left the home without being harmed, told police that her husband had access to knives, but did not have a gun.
Samson declined to be specific, but said that Winslow finally left the home after not having had any contact with police for five hours. The sheriff also declined to stay whether officers recovered any weapons from the home.
Thursday’s domestic disturbance was not the first time police had been called to the home.
“We’re all familiar with Michael,” said Capt. Ray LaFrance of the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department. “He can be violent. The officers know he can be violent.”
Noel Gallagher can be contacted at 791-6387 or at:
ngallagher@pressherald.com
Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:
dhoey@pressherald.com
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