Police updates for Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Southwest Harbor, Tremont, State Police, and Hancock County Sheriff’s Department.
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BAR HARBOR—On September 25, 2026, at approximately 8:20 a.m., Sgt. Soren Sundberg summoned Russell E. Ayer, 80, of Colorado, for theft by unauthorized taking or transfer.
The charge stems from an investigation into thefts that occurred at a Bar Harbor business over a reported month-long period.
Ayer was also warned for trespassing and told not to return to the business.
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.
Monday, September 21, 2026
Officer Liam Harrington performed a requested well-being check on someone in Bar Harbor but before he could locate the person, the family called back and said that the person to be checked on was fine and they had been able to contact them.
Officer Harrington received a report of a dispute between a Bar Harbor homeowner and former contractor regarding equipment.
Following a report of someone playing amplified music in Agamont Park in Bar Harbor, Officer Harrington spoke with the person playing the music and made them aware of the complaint.
Someone reported that dogs in a vehicle in Bar Harbor were possibly in distress. Officer Harrington responded and determined that the dogs were not in distress.
Officer Harrington took a report of a dog roaming in Bar Harbor and returned the dog to its owner.
Officer Justin Burnett took a report of an aggressive dog in Bar Harbor.
Someone reported a light source in the woods behind a Bar Harbor residence but when Officer Zack Kline responded, he could not locate anyone or any light source.
Officer Kaleb Payson assisted someone with a broken-down vehicle in Mount Desert.
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Officer Payson spoke with someone in Bar Harbor who was suffering from a mental illness.
Officer Kline performed a well-being check on someone in Bar Harbor and found them to be fine.
After someone made a complaint about a camper van parked overnight in Bar Harbor, Officer Kline contacted the occupant and moved them along.
Following the report of a person that was stranded on Bar Island, off Bar Harbor, Sgt. Doug Brundrett and Assistant Harbormaster Chris Johansen responded. Johansen located a man on a sailboat near the island who said that he had gone ashore to let his dog run around.
Officer Ted Cake performed a vehicle identification number verification for a towing company in Bar Harbor.
Officer T. Cake removed two people from private property in Mount Desert at an employee’s request.
After someone made a motor vehicle complaint in Mount Desert, Officer Justin Burnett attempted to locate the suspect vehicle but could not.
Officer Payson assisted someone in Bar Harbor by providing them with some resources.
Following a request by Acadia National Park Rangers, Officer Kline performed security checks at park headquarters throughout the night.
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Officer Payson attempted to locate a vehicle that was the subject of a motor vehicle complaint in Bar Harbor but could not.
Sgt. Sundberg issued a summons for passing a stopped school bus to Terra Ehrhart, 24, of Sarasota, Florida, in Mount Desert.
Officer Tim Frost took a report of vandalism to a relay mailbox on Ledgelawn Avenue in Bar Harbor.
Officer Frost took a report of an animal that got struck by a motor vehicle on Ledgelawn Avenue in Bar Harbor.
Sgt. Sundberg provided an escort in Bar Harbor.
Sgt. Sundberg assisted MDI Hospital in Bar Harbor with a disorderly patient.
Mental Health Liaison Melissa Gleason spoke with a transient person in Bar Harbor who was in need of resources.
Officer Judson Cake took a report from someone in Mount Desert that while they were walking their dog, an unleashed dog attacked them. There were no injuries and the unleashed dog owner was warned the next day for having their dog off leash.
Officer Burnett attempted to locate someone in Bar Harbor who has multiple arrest warrants but was unsuccessful.
Officer Burnett assisted the Southwest Harbor Police Department with a disorderly person.
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Officer Troy Stanwood responded to a noise complaint in Bar Harbor which he determined to be unsubstantiated.
Officer J. Cake assisted the Mount Desert Fire Department with a medical call in Mount Desert.
Officer Burnett attempted to locate a vehicle that was the subject of a motor vehicle complaint in Bar Harbor but could not locate the vehicle.
Officer Frost responded to a verbal argument in Mount Desert and the subjects were separated for the day.
Officer Frost assisted a Bar Harbor business with a civil issue.
MHL Gleason spoke with someone in Bar Harbor who has ongoing mental health concerns.
Sgt. Chris Dickens responded to a complaint of amplified music in Agamont Park in Bar Harbor, spoke with the performer, and advised them of the town’s ordinance.
Someone parked a vehicle in the roadway in Bar Harbor for an hour before Officer Burnett could locate the vehicle’s owner and get them to move the vehicle.
Friday, September 25, 2026
A Bar Harbor business asked Officer Stanwood to move someone along that was sleeping on their property.
After someone reported a vehicle that had broken down in the intersection of Sound Drive and Route 102 in Somesville, Officer T. Cake responded to find that the vehicle had made it out of the road and into a parking lot.
Officer Stanwood located a vehicle that was the subject of a motor vehicle complaint in Bar Harbor but did not observe any erratic operation from the vehicle.
Officer Stanwood is investigating a report of a vehicle passing a stopped school bus in Bar Harbor.
Officer Stanwood conducted an escort for a town official in Bar Harbor.
Someone reported a distracted driver on Route 3 in Bar Harbor.
Sgt. Sundberg responded to a report of a verbal argument in the Village Green in Bar Harbor. After investigating the incident, two people were warned for disorderly conduct and smoking marijuana in public.
MHL Gleason spoke with a Bar Harbor employer about an employee in need of resources.
Sgt. Sundberg performed a well-being check in Bar Harbor and as a result, one man was transported to the MDI Hospital.
Someone reported an altercation to the Bar Harbor Police Department. Following an investigation into the reported activity, Eric Fogg, 42, of Bar Harbor, was summoned the following day for criminal mischief, criminal threatening, harassment, and tampering with a witness.
Sgt. Dickens conducted a ride along in Bar Harbor.
Sgt. Sundberg gave someone a ride to their residence in Bar Harbor.
Officer Stanwood responded to a theft complaint from a Bar Harbor business. The issue was resolved without criminal charges.
Sgt. Dickens assisted another law enforcement agency with a call for service in Trenton.
Officer Kline attempted to locate someone in Bar Harbor on behalf of the Ellsworth Police Department but was unsuccessful.
Saturday, September 26, 2026
Officer T. Cake handled a parking issue in Bar Harbor and was able to get the offending vehicle moved.
Officer Caleb Mora received a request for a private event traffic control detail in Bar Harbor.
On Saturday, September 26, at approximately 1:50 p.m., the Bar Harbor Police Department received a call about a dog that had been left in a hot car on Cottage Street in Bar Harbor. Officer Ted Cake responded to the complaint and located the vehicle with the dog in it. Officer Cake observed that there was no visible water for the dog and all of the windows were up with the exception of the sunroof being partially cracked, according to Sgt. Doug Brundrett. Officer Cake made the decision to remove the dog from the car and take it to the police station. A phone number for the dog’s owner, Mikaela D. Richardson, no age given, of Massachusetts, was located on the dog’s collar and she was notified that the dog would be at the police station. When Richardson came to retrieve the dog, she was issued a criminal summons for cruelty to animals, a class D crime.
Officer T. Cake documented information for someone in Bar Harbor.
Following a report to the Bar Harbor Police Department of an angry driver that was heading off island, the call was passed on to another agency.
Officer Burnett took a report of loose dogs in Northeast Harbor and the dogs were returned to their owner.
A Bar Harbor hotel manager asked Sgt. Jerrod Hardy to remove a guest from the property. The guest was asked to leave, escorted off the property, and told not to return.
Officer Kline responded to a report of harassment in Bar Harbor and spoke with the people involved.
Sunday, September 27, 2026
After someone reported a child not secured in a vehicle in Mount Desert, Officer Stanwood attempted to locate the offending vehicle but could not.
Sgt. Hardy looked for a man who was reported to be slumped over a bench on Cottage Street in Bar Harbor but could not find any such man.
Officer Burnett responded to a report of a disorderly man in Bar Harbor and warned the man for disorderly conduct.
Officer Kline performed a well-being check on someone in Bar Harbor and found them to be fine.
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, September 21, 2026
A Southwest Harbor resident asked that someone be served with a cease harassment notice.
Officer Bradley Russell spoke with another agency that was looking for information on some people from Southwest Harbor.
Someone asked Officer Russell to document some disorderly activity in Southwest Harbor.
Officer Russell received a report of trespassing in Tremont, responded to speak with the complainant, and was unable to locate the person that the reporting person was complaining about.
Officer Russell spoke with someone in Southwest Harbor about a civil issue. The person later called back and said that the issue had been resolved.
After receiving a complaint regarding a vehicle that was being operated in an erratic manner in Southwest Harbor, Officer Russell responded but was unable to locate the vehicle.
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Someone reported a loose dog in Southwest Harbor and after responding, Sgt. Rick Graham determined that the dog was on its own property.
A Tremont resident reported a suspicious incident to the Southwest Harbor Police Department.
A parking issue on the Tremont Road in Tremont was reported but had resolved itself by the time Sgt. Graham arrived.
Following notification of a burglar alarm in Tremont, Sgt. Graham responded but was notified that it was an accidental activation prior to his arrival.
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Sgt. Graham provided a safety escort for a large boat that was being transported through Southwest Harbor.
Officer Eli Brown performed a well-being check on a member of the Good Morning Quietside program in Southwest Harbor and found that she was all set.
Someone reported glass in the road in the area of Golf of Maine on Route 102 in Southwest Harbor. Officer Brown responded and discovered a lot of “plexiglass type material” in the roadway which the Southwest Harbor Fire Department cleared off the road using leaf blowers.
Officer Brown visited the Tremont Consolidated School during recess.
A passing motorist reported seeing someone on the side of Route 102 wearing headphones and staring into the woods in the area of Smuggler’s Den Campground. There was nobody in the area when Officer Brown responded.
A Seawall Road resident in Southwest Harbor reported hearing a beeping noise. Officer Brown responded and determined that it was a construction man lift that had not been turned off all the way. The owner of the machine was contacted and properly turned off the machine.
After a report of shouting off of the Clark Point Road in Southwest Harbor, Officer Brown responded and could not locate anyone. He later learned that there had been a verbal only domestic altercation in the area. The Bar Harbor Police Department assisted on the original call.
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Someone reported a parking issue on private property on the Clark Point Road in Southwest Harbor. Officer Abigail Armistead contacted the vehicle’s owner and they moved it.
Officer Armistead received two alarm notifications from a Southwest Harbor property, but the alarm company called a short time later to cancel the alarms.
Officer Russell is investigating a report of trespassing and criminal mischief in Southwest Harbor.
Following the report of a parking issue in Southwest Harbor, Officer Russell responded and spoke with the vehicle owner, resolving the issue.
Officer Russell performed a well-being check in Southwest Harbor.
Following the report of someone parking in the driveway of a Southwest Harbor residence without permission, Officer Russell documented the ongoing complaint.
Friday, September 25, 2026
Sgt. Graham conducted a vehicle identification number verification for a Southwest Harbor resident.
During the overnight hours, someone struck and broke a fire hydrant on the Fernald Point Road in Southwest Harbor and then left the scene.
A Southwest Harbor resident reported a suspicious looking person in the Manset area. Sgt. Graham searched the area but could not locate anyone.
A Tremont property owner reported that he found some suspicious items in a building that he owns. Sgt. Graham responded and identified the items, determining that they were not suspicious.
Following the theft of construction equipment in Southwest Harbor, Sgt. Graham was able to locate the equipment and determined that it was taken by accident. The property was returned to the owner.
Sgt. Graham assisted the ambulance service on a medical call in Tremont.
Sgt. Graham assisted the ambulance service on a medical call in Southwest Harbor.
Sgt. Graham assisted the ambulance service on a medical call in Tremont.
Saturday, September 26, 2026
No reported incidents.
Sunday, September 27, 2026
Officer Russell responded to a report of a downed tree in Southwest Harbor and found it to be blocking the roadway. The proper agency was contacted to remove the tree.
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 — (3) Two on Route 3. One on Eden Street.
MOUNT DESERT — None reported.
SOUTHWEST HARBOR — None reported.
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.
Maine State Police Arrests Limerick Man on Active Warrant
LIMERICK—On Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at approximately 6:40 p.m., troopers with the Southern Field Troop responded to a residence at 35 Emery Corner Road in Limerick to attempt to locate 49-year-old Michael Cacace who had an active arrest warrant for charges of unlawful sexual contact, and two counts violating conditions of release. Upon arrival, troopers observed Cacace flee into his residence.
Troopers surrounded the home and were eventually able to establish phone contact with Cacace. After approximately half an hour of phone negotiations, Cacace agreed to come out of his residence and was taken into custody by the troopers without incident. He was transported to the York County Jail and is held without bail pending a court appearance. Troopers were on scene for approximately one hour. There was no disruption to local traffic patterns and no risk to neighboring residents.
Maine State Police Arrest Augusta Woman in Connection with Crash That Killed Two MaineDOT Workers
AUGUSTA—On Friday, September 25, 2026, at approximately 6:30 a.m., Maine State Police arrested 34-year-old Samantha Tupper, of Augusta, following her indictment by a Kennebec County Grand Jury in connection with the January crash that killed two Maine Department of Transportation workers in Waterville. Tupper was indicted Thursday on two counts of manslaughter, two counts of aggravated driving to endanger, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of aggravated assault. She was arrested Friday morning without incident at a residence on Mayflower Road in Augusta and transported to the Kennebec County Jail. Bail was set at $50,000.
The charges stem from a January 13, 2026, crash on I-95 southbound near mile marker 127 in Waterville. The investigation determined that Tupper, who was operating a minivan, failed to stop at a posted stop sign at the end of the Kennedy Memorial Drive on-ramp and attempted to enter the passing lane, where her vehicle was struck by a tractor-trailer. The collision forced Tupper’s vehicle into an active MaineDOT work zone, striking three workers. Two of the workers, 60-year-old James Brown and 51-year-old Dwayne Campbell, both of Waterville, were killed. A third MaineDOT worker was injured. Tupper remains at the Kennebec County Jail pending her initial court appearance.
Maine State Police Investigates Crash on I-95 in Gray
GRAY—On Friday, September 25, 2026, at approximately 5:00 p.m., Maine State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash on the Maine Turnpike northbound near mile marker 62 in Gray. The initial investigation indicates that 70-year-old Keith Tinker of Hudson, New Hampshire, was traveling northbound in lane one in a 2013 Buick Regal when an unknown black SUV traveling at a high rate of speed changed lanes unsafely, cutting off Tinker’s vehicle.
Tinker swerved to avoid a collision, causing his vehicle to spin and strike the shoulder guardrail. The impact caused the guardrail to separate and puncture the driver’s side of the vehicle. Tinker was extricated from the vehicle and transported to Maine Medical Center in Portland with non-life-threatening injuries. His daughter, who was a passenger in the vehicle was evaluated for minor injuries. The Maine Turnpike was reduced to one northbound lane for more than an hour, resulting in traffic backups of more than 10 miles.
Maine State Police Arrests Old Town Man Following Crash in Pittsfield
PITTSFIELD—On Thursday, September 24, 2026, at approximately 8:55 p.m., a Maine State Police Trooper observed a vehicle traveling toward Pittsfield on Route 11 in Palmyra. The vehicle was seen swerving into the breakdown lane and traveling at inconsistent speeds. When the trooper pulled behind the vehicle to observe its operation, the driver accelerated to a high rate of speed and passed another motorist traveling in the same direction. The trooper activated his emergency lights and siren in an attempt to stop the vehicle, but the driver continued at a high rate of speed and at times turned the vehicle’s headlights on and off.
The trooper briefly lost sight of the vehicle during the pursuit. A short time later, the vehicle was located after it had crashed at the intersection of North Main Street and Madawaska Avenue in Pittsfield. The driver had fled the scene on foot. A Maine State Police K9 Team responded and began a track. The driver was quickly located hiding under a porch and taken into custody. He was identified as 57-year-old Charles Michaud of Old Town. Michaud was transported to Eastern Maine Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
His Maine driver’s license was revoked, and open containers of alcohol were found inside the vehicle. Upon his release from the hospital, Michaud will be charged with eluding an officer, operating after revocation and driving to endanger. The crash remains under investigation.
Fire Marshal’s Office Investigating Explosion in Limington
LIMINGTON—On Sunday, September 27, 2026, at approximately 9:26 a.m., 911 dispatchers received reports of an explosion at a residence on East Sand Pond Road in Limington. When members of the Limington Fire Department arrived, they located the homeowner, who had sustained serious burns to his face, arms and chest. He was transported to Maine Medical Center in Portland with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
The homeowner’s son, who lives across the street, responded to the residence after hearing the explosion. He helped his father to safety and used a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire.
The Limington Fire Department requested assistance from the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office with the investigation. Investigators responded to the scene and conducted an examination of the residence and interviews with individuals who had information regarding the incident. The investigation indicates the explosion and subsequent fire were caused by a malfunction involving a propane fuel line while the homeowner was attempting to ignite another heat source inside the residence.
The Maine Fuel Board is assisting the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Limington Fire Department with the investigation. At this time, the fire and explosion appear to have been accidental. The investigation remains ongoing.
Fire Marshal’s Office Investigates Structure Fire in Litchfield
LITCHFIELD—On Monday, September 28, 2026, at approximately 1:09 a.m., the Litchfield Fire Department responded to a reported house fire at 2721 Hallowell Road. Upon arrival, firefighters found the residence heavily involved in fire. All occupants were able to escape the home without injury. One firefighter was transported to a local hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.
The Litchfield Fire Department requested assistance from the Maine Office of State Fire Marshal to determine the origin and cause of the fire. During the investigation, occupants reported that they first observed fire in the area of a pellet stove. However, due to the extensive fire damage and the use of heavy equipment during suppression operations, investigators were unable to determine a definitive cause of the fire. The cause of the fire has been classified as undetermined.
Maine State Police Seek Massachusetts Man Following Drug Arrests in Skowhegan
SKOWHEGAN—On Saturday evening, September 12, 2026, a Maine State Police Trooper conducted a traffic stop on a silver 2021 Toyota Tacoma for a traffic violation in Skowhegan. The occupants of the vehicle were identified as 57-year-old Ruth Crandall, of Rockland, 26-year-old Taylor Meader, of Sidney, and an unknown male who fled the scene during the trooper’s roadside investigation.
During a search of the vehicle and its occupants, the investigating trooper seized approximately 354 grams of suspected crack cocaine. Crandall was arrested and charged with unlawful furnishing of a schedule W drug and unlawful possession of a schedule W drug.
Meader was arrested and charged with unlawful trafficking of a schedule W drug.
Following a several-week investigation, troopers identified the man who fled the traffic stop as 25-year-old Braylin Nunez, of Lawrence, Massachusetts. An arrest warrant has been issued for Nunez charging him with aggravated trafficking of a schedule W drug, aggravated furnishing of a schedule W drug, and refusal to submit to arrest or detention.
Anyone with information regarding Nunez’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Maine State Police Central Field Troop Division at 207-624-7076, ext. 9, and ask to speak with Trooper Jackson.
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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