August

On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at approximately 4:56 PM, Capitol Police responded to a report of a suspicious package that had been opened inside Maine Revenue Services at 51 Commerce Drive in Augusta. Capitol Police requested assistance from the Maine State Police Bomb Squad. The individual who handled the package moved it outside and contacted authorities.

Out of an abundance of caution, the building was evacuated while the package was evaluated. The Maine State Police Bomb Squad responded to the scene. Through X-ray imaging and presumptive field testing, investigators determined there were no explosive or biological hazards inside the package.

No injuries were reported. The Maine State Police Bomb Squad was assisted by the Augusta Fire Department and the 11th Army National Guard Civil Support Team.

The incident remains under investigation. No additional information is being released at this time.

On Monday, August 10, 2026, at approximately 1:20 AM, Maine State Police responded to an incident involving a tractor-trailer on the Turnpike southbound near mile marker 58 in Cumberland.

The initial investigation indicates that a tractor-trailer owned by Lowe and Bassett LLC was hauling asphalt for a paving project when an axle broke, puncturing the truck’s diesel tanks and hydraulic lines. The truck continued for approximately three-quarters of a mile, spilling several hundred gallons of diesel fuel before coming to a stop. The truck was partially in the right travel lane and was removed by Copp Motors.

The right southbound lane remains closed while crews work to clean up the spill. The closure is expected to remain in place for several hours, and motorists should expect delays in the area. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection and Maine Turnpike Authority are assisting with the cleanup.

On Sunday, August 9, 2026, at approximately 4:00 PM, Maine State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash on the Turnpike southbound near mile marker 66 in Gray.

The initial investigation indicates that 33-year-old Bright Appiah of Portland was operating a white 2018 Nissan Rogue southbound and had pulled onto the shoulder of the Turnpike near mile marker 66. As Appiah attempted to merge back into traffic, Appiah overcorrected while accelerating and lost control of the vehicle. The Nissan crossed into the median and struck the median guardrail. Appiah and the two passengers in the vehicle were transported to Maine Medical Center in Portland with non-life-threatening injuries. Several motorists stopped immediately following the crash to assist.

Within minutes, off-duty firefighters, EMTs and a doctor also stopped and rendered aid. The Maine State Police would like to thank those who stopped to help and provided assistance at the scene. The crash remains under investigation. Assisting the Maine State Police were New Gloucester Fire/EMS, Auburn Fire/EMS and the Maine Turnpike Authority.

On Friday, August 7, 2026, at approximately 9:39 PM, Maine State Police responded to a reported crash involving a motorcycle and an SUV on U.S. Route 1 in Hancock.

The operator of the motorcycle, 29-year-old Richard Ryan of Hancock, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The operator of the SUV was not injured. The circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation.

Troopers are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or who has information that could assist with the investigation to contact Trooper Bagley through the Bangor Regional Communications Center at 207-973-3700. No additional information is available at this time.

On Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at approximately 6:47 PM, Troopers responded to a report of a motorcycle crash in the median of Interstate 295 northbound near mile marker 18 in Freeport.

The initial investigation indicates that 78-year-old Edmund Goodman of Freeport was operating a 2016 Indian Springfield motorcycle northbound when he left the roadway to the left and traveled onto the grass-covered shoulder, where the motorcycle struck the raised edge of a crossover. The impact caused the motorcycle to overturn multiple times, ejecting Goodman.

Several medically trained motorists who were passing by immediately stopped and rendered aid; however, Goodman died at the scene from injuries he sustained in the crash. Investigators believe Goodman likely suffered a medical event moments before leaving the roadway. The crash involved only Goodman’s motorcycle.

The left northbound travel lane was closed for several hours while Troopers investigated the crash and crews cleared the scene. Assisting the Maine State Police at the scene were the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office, Yarmouth Fire and Rescue, the Maine DOT, and Copp Motors. The crash remains under investigation.

On Sunday, August 2, 2026, at approximately 6:55 PM, Maine State Police responded to a three-vehicle crash at the intersection of Route 1 and Old Route 1 in Gouldsboro. Multiple injuries were reported, and one vehicle had rolled over, trapping its occupants.

The initial investigation indicates that 46-year-old Courtney Washington of Bangor was operating a white 2024 Subaru Crosstrek northbound on Old Route 1 when she failed to stop at a stop sign. Her vehicle struck a 2025 Green Chevrolet Trailblazer operated by 39-year-old Heather Allen of Ellsworth, who was traveling eastbound on Route 1. The impact caused Allen’s vehicle to spin into the westbound lane of Route 1, where it was struck by a red 2014 Subaru Legacy which was traveling westbound on Route 1. The impact caused Allen’s vehicle to roll over. Allen was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.

A passenger in Allen’s vehicle was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Washington sustained minor injuries and was also transported to a local hospital. The operator of the Subaru Legacy was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  

Route 1 was closed for several hours while Troopers investigated the crash and crews cleared the scene. The investigation into the crash remains ongoing. No additional information is available at this time.

Autopsies have been conducted on a deceased adult male and male child related to the critical incident on the Piscataqua River Bridge in Kittery, Maine Thursday morning. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) in Augusta conducted the autopsy on the deceased child Thursday, August 29, 2024, and the adult male on Friday morning, August 30, 2024.  The OCME has identified the deceased adult male as 37-year-old Trent Weston of Troy, New Hampshire. The OCME ruled the cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds and the manner of death as homicide as a result of an officer-involved shooting. The OCME has identified Trent Weston’s deceased child as 8-year-old Benson Weston of Troy, New Hampshire, and ruled the cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds and the manner of death as homicide. The investigation into these deaths and the suspected homicide in Troy, New Hampshire involving Trent Weston’s wife, 37-year-old Brittany Weston, remains ongoing by the Maine State Police and New Hampshire State Police.  The New Hampshire Office of the Chief Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy on Brittany Weston today and determined her cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds and manner of death as homicide. The officer-involved shooting is being investigated by the Maine Attorney General’s Office.

On Thursday, August 29, 2024, at approximately 11:50 AM, first responders and the Maine State Police received a 911 call reporting a medical event at a solar farm on Surry Road in Surry. The initial investigation determined that 52-year-old Edwin Kendall Jones of Washington, Maine suffered a medical event while working at the site. The deceased was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta where an autopsy will be performed to determine cause and manner of death. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration was notified. The investigation is active and ongoing.

On Thursday, August 29, 2024, at approximately 4:12 PM, the Maine State Police received a call from a man advising that he had just been approached and threatened by a man with a gun while at the Unity Raceway. The victim identified the man as 30-year-old Joshua Littlefield of Unity. The victim provided a description of both the suspect who he was familiar with as well as a description of the firearm used. Troopers from the Central Field Troop and Troop I responded to Littlefield’s residence as did the Maine State Police Tactical Team and Crisis Negotiation Team. Littlefield was subsequently taken into custody and charged with Criminal Threatening with a Dangerous Weapon. He was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. Once released he will be transported to the Waldo County Jail. The case remains an active investigation. Anyone that witnessed the encounter at the Unity Raceway is urged to call Trooper Jackson of the Central Field Troop at 207.624.7076.

At approximately 2:07 AM, on August 29, 2024, the York Police Department received a 911 call from a male stating that he had been involved in a fight with his wife in Troy, New Hampshire and told authorities she was dead. New Hampshire State Police responded to the residence in Troy and located a deceased female. At approximately 2:30 AM, Kittery Police located the male’s vehicle on the Piscataqua River Bridge parked on the southbound side in Maine. Law enforcement agencies from New Hampshire and Maine responded and tried to negotiate with the male.

The bridge was shut down for several hours to protect the public, while negotiations were attempted, and the scene was secured. Negotiations were ultimately unsuccessful, and the male exited the vehicle and raised a firearm. Maine State Police Trooper Craig Nilsen and two New Hampshire State Police troopers responded with deadly force. The male subject was located deceased in the water below and declared dead at the scene. Law enforcement officers on scene located an eight-year-old child fatally shot in the backseat of the vehicle. This death is not associated with the officers’ use of deadly force. Maine State Police Major Crimes and New Hampshire State Police Major Crimes are investigating the deaths of the female and the child. The troopers involved in the incident are on administrative leave pending the Maine Attorney General’s investigation into the use of deadly force, which is standard protocol.

The Maine State Police would like to thank the Kittery Police Department, York Police Department, Eliot Police Department, New Hampshire State Police, Maine Turnpike Authority, New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, and United States Coast Guard for their assistance in the investigation.