Police updates for Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Southwest Harbor, Tremont, State Police and Hancock County Sheriff’s Department.
Dec 23, 2025
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by the Maine Seacoast Mission.
BAR HARBOR—A guy wire from a traffic sign that was hanging above a travel lane in the area of 1500 Route 3 in Bar Harbor damaged two vehicles prior to it being addressed by police and responsible agencies. The wire was taken care of the day that it was reported.
The first incident occurred on December 15, 2025, at approximately 2:37 p.m., when the windshield of a 2022 Chevy bus was damaged by the wire. Edward Shay, 40, of Hampden was driving the bus at the time of the incident but did not report it until approximately 11:52 a.m., on December 16.
The second incident, which was actually reported first, at the time of occurrence, happened on December 16, at approximately 11:47 a.m. Robert Chaiken, 74, of Bar Harbor, was driving a 2011 Subaru when the wire struck and broke off the passenger side mirror.
No injuries were reported in either incident.
BAR HARBOR AND MOUNT DESERT POLICE LOGS
The following incidents occurred in Bar Harbor and Mount Desert last week according to the Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Police Department police logs, which is publicly released information.
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Officer Liam Harrington took a report of suspicious people attempting to sell solar panels in Somesville, but he could not locate anyone in the area when he arrived.
Officer Kaleb Payson took a report of a civil issue in Bar Harbor.
Officer Harrington took a report of suspicious activity in Otter Creek. The reporting person just wanted to matter documented.
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Officers assisted a person dealing with mental health issue in Bar Harbor.
Sgt. Chris Dickens and Sgt. Jerrod Hardy performed a keep the peace while people removed items from a Somesville residence.
Officer Nathan Formby arrested Theodore Weeks, 30, of Southwest Harbor, in Mount Desert, for operating under the influence and driving to endanger. Weeks was transported to the Hancock County Jail.
Sgt. Hardy performed a well-being check in Bar Harbor and found them to be all set.
Officer Lukas Keene arrested Richard Taylor, 73, of Bar Harbor, in Bar Harbor, for domestic violence. Taylor was also charged with possession of schedule Z drugs. Taylor was transported to the Hancock County Jail.
Thursday, December 18, 2025
Officer Amie Torrey performed a well-being check in Bar Harbor and found the person to be fine.
Officer Torrey spoke with a woman in Bar Harbor about a civil issue.
Officer Troy Stanwood performed a vehicle identification number verification for a tow company in Bar Harbor.
Officer Stanwood served a protection order to someone in Mount Desert.
Officer Torrey searched for a broken-down vehicle on Sound Drive in Mount Desert but could not locate it.
Friday, December 19, 2025
Officer Harrington spoke with a Bar Harbor resident about some concerns the resident has.
Officers responded to a verbal domestic in Bar Harbor and had the parties separate until they “cooled down.”
Officer Ted Cake performed a requested well-being check in Mount Desert and found the person to be okay.
Sgt. Doug Brundrett served a subpoena to a Bar Harbor resident.
Officer Caleb Mora removed a broken tree from a Bar Harbor roadway.
Officer Mora assisted another agency with removing a tree from a Bar Harbor roadway.
After receiving a motor vehicle complaint in Bar Harbor, Officer Harrington located the suspect vehicle and determined that the operator was having trouble seeing in the rain.
Officer Payson removed a traffic hazard from the roadway in Bar Harbor.
Officer Formby was heading to assist a Bar Harbor resident who had locked themselves out of their residence but they had been able to get back in by the time Officer Formby arrived.
Officer Zack Kline took a report of a low hanging wire on Peabody Drive in Seal Harbor and when he arrived, he found a wire on the ground and a tree lying on the wire. Officer Kline placed cones around the area and notified the power company.
Saturday, December 20, 2025
A Bar Harbor resident reported that a tree had fallen across vehicles in their driveway.
Officer Mora was responding to a complaint of a tree in a Bar Harbor roadway but found that a good Samaritan had removed the tree prior to his arrival.
Officer Mora assisted another agency at a medical call in Bar Harbor.
Sgt. Brundrett is investigating a report of fraud from a Bar Harbor business owner.
Officer Formby assisted the Southwest Harbor Police Department.
SOUTHWEST HARBOR AND TREMONT
The following incidents occurred in Southwest Harbor or Tremont last week according to the Southwest Harbor Police Department police log, which is publicly released information.
Monday, December 15, 2025
After receiving a report of a suspicious vehicle in a Southwest Harbor parking lot, Officer Bradley Russell patrolled the area and was unable to locate any suspicious vehicles.
Officer Russell responded to a Southwest Harbor property for a complaint of trespassers and spoke with the people who were on the property and told them not to enter the property again.
Officer Russell spread sand on a Tremont resident’s driveway as part of the Sand for Seniors program.
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Officer Rick Graham responded to a burglar alarm at the Next Level Sports Lounge in Southwest Harbor and found that it had been set off by a delivery person.
Officer Graham talked to and calmed down an angry juvenile at a Southwest Harbor residence.
Officer Graham spoke with a Southwest Harbor resident and answered some questions that they had about a vehicle registration.
Officer Graham assisted the ambulance service on a medical call in Tremont.
A Tremont resident reported an unfamiliar vehicle in their driveway. Officer Graham checked on the vehicle and found it to belonged to a friend of the complainant’s son.
After being flagged down by someone in Tremont, Officer Graham received a report of a suspicious person at a nearby residence. The person was found to be a neighbor who had permission to be there.
Officer Graham took a report of vandalism in Tremont from a town official in Tremont and is investigating the incident.
Officer Kristen Roulet searched for a truck in Southwest Harbor that was reportedly being operated with an open door but could not locate the truck.
After receiving a report of an open door on a Southwest Harbor residence, Officer Graham checked the residence and found it to appear undisturbed. Officer Graham also notified the property caretaker.
Officer Graham took a report regarding solicitors from an energy company in Southwest Harbor.
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Officer Roulet attended the Tremont Consolidated caroling event in Tremont.
Sgt. Ryan Blakeney took a report of suspicious activity that may be a scam from a Southwest Harbor resident.
After receiving a report of a suspicious vehicle on the side of a Southwest Harbor roadway, Sgt. Blakeney located the vehicle but could not locate anyone associated with it. When Sgt. Blakeney checked on the vehicle later it was gone.
Sgt. Blakeney responded to a motor vehicle crash near the Southwest Harbor/Mount Desert town line and found the crash to be in Mount Desert. Sgt. Blakeney checked for injuries and assisted the Bar Harbor Mount Desert Police Department on scene once they arrived.
Thursday, December 18, 2025
Sgt. Blakeney took a report of an injured deer in Tremont and decided that the deer was injured gravely enough to warrant being dispatched.
Officer James Kamorski responded to an open 911 call in Tremont but could not locate anyone in need of assistance or anything suspicious in the area.
Friday, December 19, 2025
Officer Kamorski was on his way to do a well-being check on a Tremont resident but the requesting person called back and said that they had made contact with the person to be checked on and they were all set.
Officer Russell assisted another law enforcement agency by looking for a vehicle in Southwest Harbor that the other agency was trying to locate.
Officer Russell handled a juvenile issue in Southwest Harbor.
After receiving a report of a loud explosion that the caller thought was a power line issue, Officer Russell patrolled the area but could not locate anything out of the ordinary.
Saturday, December 20, 2025
At the request of a Trenton resident, Officer Graham performed a well-being check on the caller’s husband who was performing electrical work at a Southwest Harbor residence and not answering his phone. Officer Graham found the man to be fine and determined that he had left his cellphone in his vehicle.
Officer Graham responded to Tremont for a report of a vehicle partially blocking a driveway but the vehicle was gone when he arrived.
A caller reported people at an abandoned Southwest Harbor property but when Officer Graham checked the property, he could not locate any people there.
Officer Graham responded to a reported domestic issue in Tremont and separated the people involved for the night.
Sunday, December 21, 2025
Officer Kamorski performed a requested property check in Southwest Harbor.
Officer Kamorski conducted an unattended death investigation in Southwest Harbor.
CAR/DEER CRASHES
Due to time constraints, we do not write about car/deer crashes or minor vehicle crashes such as parking lot or parked vehicle/moving vehicle collisions. We do realize that many readers are interested in car/deer collisions, so we will be listing them by town and roadway here.
BAR HARBOR — None reported.
MOUNT DESERT — None reported.
SOUTHWEST HARBOR — (1) Seawall Road
TREMONT — None reported.
STATE POLICE PRESS RELEASES
These are the Maine State Police press releases from the last few days. The Bar Harbor Story will include these each week though most (and sometimes all) do not occur on Mount Desert Island.
Palermo Fire Update (Victims identified)
PALERMO—On Monday, December 15, 2025, at approximately 11:25 p.m., the Palermo Fire Department received a report of a structure fire at a residence located at 98 Leeman Arm Road. Upon arrival, firefighters found the home fully involved with fire. Fire personnel located a severely burned adult male in the roadway near the residence who had escaped the fire prior to their arrival. The individual was transported by ambulance to Maine General Hospital and was later transported via LifeFlight to Maine Medical Center where he is in critical condition.
The injured male informed firefighters that one additional person remained inside the residence. Fire crews-initiated operations while being assisted by several neighboring fire departments and area ambulance services.
The Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene with a team of six investigators.
Fire investigators have recovered a deceased individual from the fire scene located at Leeman Arm Road in Palermo. The body has been transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta for positive identification and determination of the cause of death.
Investigators believe there may have been an explosion inside the residence prior to the fire. The home was supplied with propane gas for appliances and heating. State Propane Inspectors assisted Investigators at the scene, and the cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
Fire investigators believe the deceased to be 64-year-old Gary Crane Sr., of Palermo. Positive identification will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. His son, 45-year-old Gary Crane remains in critical condition at Maine Medical Center in Portland. The investigation continues.
Fire Marshal’s Office Investigating Fire in Patten
PATTEN—On Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 4:37 a.m., the Patten Fire Department responded to a commercial building fire at 6 Main Street in Patten. When the fire department arrived, the building, the Outback Garage, was fully involved. Two tenants who lived in an apartment above the garage were able to escape safely. The building is considered a total loss.
The fire also spread to a nearby apartment building, causing significant damage and displacing 8 tenants of the apartment building. The fire originated towards the rear of the garage. The use of an excavator hindered investigator’s ability to determine the cause of the fire, however a woodstove cannot be ruled out as a possible cause.
The Patten Fire Department was assisted by the following agencies: Island Falls FD, Oakfield FD, Sherman FD, Stacyville FD, Mt. Chase FD, Medway FD, Houlton FD, Island Falls Ambulance, and Patten Ambulance.
Fire Marshal’s Office Investigating Fire in Lewiston
LEWISTON—On December 20, 2025, at approximately 8:46 p.m., the Lewiston Fire Department responded to a report of a working structure fire at 146 Grove Street in the City of Lewiston. Upon arrival, fire officials observed a two-story, single-family, wood-frame residence with heavy fire conditions on the first floor. Fire crews-initiated suppression operations and were able to bring the fire under control.
Following extinguishment, the Office of the State Fire Marshal was requested to assist with the investigation. The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Lewiston Fire Department, and the Lewiston Police Department.
At this time, no injuries to human life have been reported. One dog did perish as a result of the fire. The origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation. Fire investigators will be conducting follow-up investigative activities during the upcoming week. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.
Fire Marshal’s Office Investigating Fire in Searsport
SEARSPORT—On Saturday, December 20, 2025, at approximately 3:35 p.m., the Searsport Fire Department responded to a reported fire at the RSU 20 bus garage in Searsport. The first arriving fire unit reported smoke showing from the structure, a sagging roof on the right portion of the building, and heavy fire conditions inside the front door on the right-hand side. The building was destroyed as a result of the fire.
State Fire Marshal investigators responded to the scene and conducted an examination of the fire area. Investigators determined the fire originated in the area of the right rear portion of the building, where a pickup truck and a school bus were parked. The investigation remains active. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.
HANCOCK COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
The following are the public releases from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department. Each image can be clicked on and expanded.
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