News

Gray teen leads police on high-speed chase
By Elizabeth Prata Staff Writer

GRAY: State Police say a 16-year-old boy from Gray is facing several charges after leading police on a high speed chase through several Cumberland County communities late Monday night.

Public Safety Spokesman Steve McCausland said Tuesday that two of the charges are felony charges and when the juvenile is arraigned in court his name will become public.

Troopers said they attempted to stop the car on I-295 in Cumberland after the car was clocked on radar at 106 mph. A chase began when the car refused to stop and turned back on Route 1 through Yarmouth, Falmouth and Portland and out Route 100.

Police said the fleeing car came within inches of striking a Cumberland County deputy who was attempting to set up spike mats on Route 100. The chase ended a short time later when Trooper Justin Cooley's cruiser rammed the 2006 Ford Probe.

The 16-year-old, who had his driver's license for only five weeks, is charged with eluding a police officer, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and resisting arrest. He is being held at the Long Creek juvenile facility. The car belonged to his mother. McCausland said that the arraignment date is unknown at this time.

Robbery at Lewiston Road

Charles Small had a bad Friday. The day before Memorial Day, this Gray resident came home only to find his front door kicked in and handing wide open. Thieves had entered the house and the garage in broad daylight. They stole everything that they could get their hands on, including the 27 inch television, the washer, the dryer, generators, all the tools from the garage, his son's X-Box…

The incident occurred between 10:45 a.m. and 3:50 p.m. on Friday, May 26, and "somebody must have seen something," Mr. Small said. He has made a report to the police, he said.

As a matter of fact, the Lewiston police did call later that weekend with a report that his safe boxes were found, thrown from a car and in a field, but empty. That was the worst, said Small, the safe boxes held personal effects from a relative who had died the week before.

Small is asking anyone who might have seen activity at his home on 211 Lewiston Road in Gray last Friday to please call him at 657 7715 or his cell phone at 899-7454.

Gray-New Gloucester police record
Arrests:

Cathleen Costello, 30, of 42 Drummond Street, Auburn, was arrested by Deputy Cofone on a charge of failure to appear on an operating after suspension charge in Gray May 18.

Kelly Coughlin, 20, of 54 North Pownal Road, New Gloucester, was arrested by Deputy Brown on a charge of trespass by a motor vehicle in Gray May 19.

Jack Downs, 41, of 213 Water Street, Gardiner, was arrested by Deputy Cofone on charges of OUI and operating with suspended registration plates in Gray May 22.

Thomas Hanscome, 27, of New Gloucester, was summonsed by Deputy Ambrose on a charge of possession of marijuana in Gray May 25.

Kevin Hathcox, 46, of Shreveport, LA., was arrested by Deputy Ambrose on warrants on a charge of credit card fraud from Louisiana in Gray May 20.

A Gray juvenile was summonsed by Deputy McIntire on a charge of possession of a useable amount of marijuana. May 21.

Calls:

Return to sender, please
An Elmwood Road, Pownal resident reported that he received a threatening letter on May 22. The letter contained cut-outs of paper articles about cement shoes and children falling into the family septic tanks and dying. Written on the back of the envelope was "Pownal don't like drugs! Amen!" The victim believes the sender may have been a man who was connected to the Hemp Festival. A few years ago the victim would not let the man park vehicles in his field during the festival and believes because of that the man has lost thousands of dollars. Investigation is continuing.