Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Washington County Sheriff’s Office weekly Report for January 10 – 23, 2014

The Sheriff’s Office responded to 128 calls for service. The Sheriff’s Office responded to 24 vehicle accidents during this time. Notable complaints are listed below:

Lt Timothy Tabbutt investigated a theft from a residence in Addison. Cash was reported missing. Investigation continues.

Lt Timothy Tabbutt investigated a complaint of harassment in Cherryfield. A female was being harassed by another female on Facebook and by text messages. A protection from harassment was granted by the court.

Deputy Gregory Sawyer investigated a report of suspicious activity in Perry. The area was checked and no suspicious activity was found.

Lt Timothy Tabbutt responded to a theft in Columbia. An individual had gotten gas and had driven off without paying. Lt Tabbutt located the individual and he paid for the gas.

Deputy Gregory Sawyer assisted a motorist in Jonesboro. She was parked on side of the road with her flashers activated. Her windshield wiper motor had stopped working. A family member was in route to assist the driver.

Sgt Brandon Parker assisted an individual in Cutler. Deputy Parker stood by while the individual removed his personal possessions from a residence.

Sgt Brandon Parker responded to Lubec. The Eastland Motel had reported that an individual had refused to leave after “check out”. The individual had left prior to Sgt Parker arriving.

Sgt Brandon Parker investigated a theft in Marshfield. An EMERA truck was parked at Hansom’s Garage for service and copper wire was removed from the spool on the back of the truck during the evening. Investigation continues.

Deputy Christopher Donahue investigated a report of a burglary in Princeton. A homeowner reported a Samsung Tablet and an Xbox were missing. Investigation continues.

Lt Travis Willey assisted Maine State Police Trooper Staci Carpenter in Addison. A male subject was seen entering a residence through a window. The male subject was located hiding in the basement. The subject had an outstanding warrant and was transported to the Washington County Jail.

Lt Travis Willey and Sgt Ralph Pineo responded to suspicious activity in Jonesboro. A vehicle was seen at a summer residence. The vehicle had left and was located in Machias. Several household items were located in the vehicle. The 3 male subjects in the vehicle were arrested. Investigation continues.

Sgt Brandon Parker responded to a domestic assault in Milbridge. A female stated she had been assaulted by her ex-boyfriend. She has a protection order against this individual. The ex-boyfriend was located the next day and arrested for Assault, Burglary, Violating Conditions of Release, Obstruction of report of a crime and Criminal Mischief.

Monday, January 13, 2014

2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

During 2013, the Sheriff’s Office worked hard to meet goals around training, department cohesion, and community involvement. Our dedicated employees show their commitment to our agency and the community through their willingness to work with other agencies and the care with which they approach their work. I continue to be impressed by our phenomenal staff. Our officers responded to a total of 3,922 calls for service in 2013 - an average of more than 10 calls per day. The Uniform Crime Reporting statistics show that the Washington County Sheriff’s Office continues to rank among the top agencies in the state for reported crimes that were solved or cleared. Our K-9 partner Stryker has again proven his worth to the department by assisting deputies. Stryker is certified for a range of narcotics detection.

2013 brought changes to the administration within the department. Shawn Donahue, a former deputy and past chief of the Baileyville Police Department, joined us as Chief Deputy. Shawn has worked hard to bring our deputies together to increase their efficiency as a team. Richard Rolfe, a one-time MDEA agent and former patrol sergeant, has taken on the role of Jail Administrator. Despite funding restrictions from the state, Rich has worked with corrections officers to improve jail procedures. The state inspection of the jail this past spring went very well with a 98% approval rating.

Collaborative law enforcement has been aided by the new records management system which was put in place last summer. This database is used by all law enforcement agencies in the county. Several days of training were held to make sure that employees could use the system to its greatest advantages. Domestic violence continues to be an issue, not only in Washington County, but across the state. In 2013, I was appointed to the Domestic Violence Committee of the National Sheriff’s Association. This appointment, along with our continued successful partnership with The Next Step Domestic Violence Project, supports my conviction that our agency is involved at the ground level in tackling the important work of eliminating domestic violence. In 2013 I received the Next Step First Annual Community Partner Award.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office Board of Visitors continues to play a vital part in the success of the agency.

We couldn’t be more proud of those citizens who continue to amaze us with the concern that they have for others in their communities. There are networks, both formal and informal, for checking on the elderly and house-bound. During the last few weeks of 2013, there was widespread concern for the well-being of those without heat, power, and water. While we are always happy to perform well-checks, we also applaud those who go above and beyond to make sure their neighbors are safe and cared for.

Thank you to the citizens of Washington County for your support of the Sheriff’s Office. We appreciate your confidence and trust.
Respectfully submitted,

Sheriff Donnie Smith

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Motor vehicle crash on Route 1 in Topsfield

On Wednesday, January 8, 2014, at approximately 7:10 AM, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of a motor vehicle crash on Route 1 in Topsfield near Malcolm Hill. When the deputies arrived, they discovered that a 2003 Ford Taurus operated by Dylan Porter 18 years of age of Brookton, Maine had collided with a 2010 Western Star operated by Kevin Lagase 39 years of age of New Denmark, New Brunswick, Canada. Investigators determined that Dylan Porter was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr. Lagase was not injured. The 2003 Ford Taurus was a total loss and the 2010 Western Star sustained damage to the trailer portion of the vehicle. US Route 1 was closed for several hours during the crash investigation. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Maine State Police Commercial Vehicle division, Calais Fire & Rescue, Indian Township Fire & Rescue, and the Topsfield Fire Department. The crash remains under investigation, although alcohol, speed and road conditions do not appear to be factors.