September

On Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at approximately 12:40 AM, Troopers responded to a single-vehicle crash on Benton Road in Albion. The initial investigation determined the vehicle left the roadway to the right and entered a wooded area, where it came to rest.

The driver, 40-year-old Jonathan Nutt of China, suffered serious injuries and was transported by LifeFlight of Maine to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor where he is listed in serious condition. His passenger, 35-year-old Anthony Lapio of Burnham died at the scene. The crash remains under investigation. Speed and alcohol are believed to be contributing factors.

Anyone with information regarding the crash is asked to contact Trooper Chris Allen at 207-624-7076. Maine State Police was assisted on scene by Albion Fire, Winslow Fire, Delta Ambulance and Carroll’s Body Shop and Towing.

On Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at 12:58 AM, the Lewiston Police Department received 911 calls of a disturbance and shots fired outside of the Blue Goose Tavern at 69 Sabattus Street in Lewiston. Officers arrived and located an adult male and an adult female suffering from gunshot wounds. Both victims were transported to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston where the male was pronounced deceased. The female was treated and later released for her injuries.

The Lewiston Police Department requested the assistance of the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit South to assist in the investigation. The adult male responsible for firing the shots has been identified and is cooperating with law enforcement.

The deceased has been identified as 37-year-old Travis Hunter of Lisbon. An autopsy conducted at the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta determined the cause of death to be a gunshot wound to the chest and the manner of death to be a homicide. Investigators believe this is an isolated incident and there is no known danger to the public.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone who has information or may have been around the Blue Goose at the time of the shooting is asked to call the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit at 207-624-7076.

On Thursday, September 3, 2026, at approximately 8:35 PM, Troopers responded to a crash on Interstate 95 southbound near mile marker 74 in Auburn.

The preliminary investigation indicates that a Ram pickup truck hauling a flatbed trailer was traveling southbound when the vehicle drifted off the right side of the roadway, struck a speed limit sign and adjacent guardrail, jackknifed and caught fire. Investigators believe the operator may have fallen asleep prior to the crash.

The operator, 40-year-old Juan-Manuel Munoz Rosquete of Tampa, Florida, and a male passenger were able to exit the vehicle. Both sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to area hospitals for treatment. Munoz Rosquete will be cited for Operating Without a License.

I-95 southbound in the area was temporarily closed while crews responded to the crash and reopened after the scene was secured. The crash remains under investigation.

On Wednesday September 2, 2026, at 12:58 AM, the Lewiston Police Department received 911 calls of a disturbance and shots fired outside of the Blue Goose Tavern at 69 Sabattus Street in Lewiston.

Officers arrived and located an adult male and an adult female suffering from gunshots wounds. Both victims were transported to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston where the male was pronounced deceased. The female was treated and later released for her injuries. The Lewiston Police Department requested the assistance of the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit South to assist in the investigation. The adult male responsible for firing the shots has been identified and is cooperating with law enforcement.

The deceased male was transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta where cause and manner of death will be determined. His identity is being withheld pending the autopsy and notification of next of kin. Investigators believe this is an isolated incident and there is no known danger to the public.

Anyone who has information or may have been around the Blue Goose at the time of the shooting is asked to call the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit at 207-624-7076.

On Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at approximately 1:25 AM, Troopers responded to a single-vehicle crash on I-95 northbound near mile marker 24 in Kennebunk. The crash occurred in an active construction zone.

The initial investigation determined that a gray 2020 Chevrolet 1500 pickup truck, operated by 28-year-old Brandon Perry of Dover, New Hampshire, was traveling at a high rate of speed before striking several traffic cones and a mobile construction sign board. The truck came to rest with the sign board lodged in the front of the vehicle.

Heavy-duty wrecking equipment was needed to remove the sign board from the grill of the truck. Approximately five construction cones were struck during the crash. At the time, construction workers were working approximately 100 yards away conducting bridge repairs. Perry told Troopers the truck had been experiencing mechanical issues prior to the crash.

Investigators determined that speed and the condition of the vehicle were contributing factors. Perry was evaluated at the scene but declined further medical treatment. He was charged with Driving to Endanger.  

On Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 12:48 AM, the Brunswick Police Department responded to a 911 call at 5 Valerie Avenue in Brunswick for reported gunshots. Upon the arrival of responding officers, an adult male was located deceased on the property.

The resident of 5 Valerie Avenue was taken into custody on charges related to the incident and transported to the Cumberland County Jail. The Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit and the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office responded to assist the Brunswick Police Department with the ensuing investigation. The deceased male was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta for an autopsy to confirm identity and determine cause and manner of death.

There is no known danger to the public. As the investigation continues, investigators ask anyone with pertinent information of this incident to contact the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit at 207-624-7076 Extension 9.

Proceeds from commemorative license plate auction to benefit the Trooper Black Foundation

Augusta, Maine – The Maine State Police and the Maine State Troopers Foundation have partnered to honor the lives and sacrifices of the first responders who died on September 11, 2001, while raising funds for the Trooper Black Foundation.

From September 1 through September 14, a series of commemorative license plates will be displayed on Maine State Police cruisers throughout the state. The plates will feature designs honoring the heroes lost 25 years ago, along with the Trooper Black Foundation logo-a symbol of hope and support for first responders and their families.

Following the campaign, the commemorative plates will be auctioned to the public, with all proceeds benefiting the Trooper Black Foundation. The foundation provides assistance to first responders and their families during times of crisis or need. The Trooper Black Foundation was established in honor of Maine State Police Trooper Charles Clinton Black, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on July 9, 1964, while responding to a bank robbery at the First National Bank of Biddeford in South Berwick. His legacy of service continues through the foundation’s support of first responders and their families.

The foundation honors Trooper Charles Black, who was shot and killed on July 9, 1964, while responding to a bank robbery at the First National Bank of Biddeford. Its mission is: “Providing assistance to first responders and their families during times of crisis or need.”

Maine State Police Colonel William Ross said, “As a former New York City police officer, I am deeply honored that these plates recognize the sacrifices of so many first responders on that tragic day. I am equally proud that foundations such as the Trooper Black Foundation continue to give back to those who put the public first. By displaying these commemorative plates, we hope to convey a message of hope and remembrance to the people of Maine and the nation. This initiative reflects our commitment to the well-being of our communities and to all first responders."

Remembrance Auction plates will be available on September 15, 2026, on the Trooper Foundation Website: www.mainestatetroopersfoundation.org

On Monday, August 31, 2026, at approximately 3:13 PM, the Bangor Regional Communications Center received a report of a Toyota Tacoma operating erratically and weaving in and out of traffic near mile marker 163 in Plymouth. A Trooper located the vehicle traveling northbound on I-95 in Carmel and initiated a traffic stop near mile marker 173 in Hampden.

During the stop, the Trooper spoke with the driver, who became argumentative and initially refused to identify himself. The Trooper detected the odor of alcohol and observed an open container of alcohol in the vehicle. A female passenger was also observed with facial injuries. When the Trooper asked the driver to exit the vehicle, he refused and then fled the traffic stop at a high rate of speed. A short time later, the Trooper located the Tacoma after it had crashed in the median and came to rest on the southbound side of the interstate across from the Hampden Rest Area. The driver fled the vehicle on foot into the wooded median.

With assistance from a Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office K-9 team, Ratliffe was located hiding in the woods along the interstate and taken into custody. The driver, identified as 33-year-old William Ratliffe of South Euclid, Ohio was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital for medical clearance before being taken to the Penobscot County Jail. He was charged with Domestic Violence Reckless Conduct with a Dangerous Weapon, Domestic Violence Assault, OUI Refusal, Operating Without a License, Refusing to Submit to Arrest or Detention, and Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Crash. Additional charges are possible.

The female passenger was transported to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center for evaluation of her injuries. Maine State Police was assisted by the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office, Hampden Police Department, Hampden Fire & EMS and the Maine Department of Transportation.

On Friday, September 27, 2024, at approximately 10:53 PM, the Biddeford Police Department received a 911 call for shots fired on Foss Street. First responders arrived to find an injured male. Emergency responders attempted to render aid, however the male, later identified as 46-year-old Gene Dares of Biddeford died at the scene. The deceased was transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta where an autopsy was performed. The cause of death is gunshot wounds, and the manner of death is homicide. There is no known specific threat to the public. The Biddeford Police Department and the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit South continue to investigate the incident. No other information is being released at this time.

On Thursday, September 26, 2024, at approximately 6:00 PM, Troopers from Central Field Troop responded to 142 Augusta Rockland Road in Windsor for a report of an out-of-control female that had assaulted a business owner and fled that location in what was discovered to be a stolen pick-up truck. The Maine State Police published a social media post requesting assistance with a photograph of the female subject taken by a witness to the assault. The State Police received one credible tip based on this post and identified the female as 33-year-old Jenyfer Clark of Augusta. The investigation continued well into the morning hours and through the assistance of Troopers from Troop I, Central Field Troop Troopers were able to confirm Clark’s whereabouts. At approximately 3:40 am, Clark was found hiding from Troopers in Pittsfield on the Canaan Road and was taken into custody and transported to the Kennebec County Correctional Facility in Augusta. She was charged with Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle, Assault, and Violating Conditions of Release. Clark also had an active Probation Revocation warrant as well as a warrant charging her with Assault, Disorderly Conduct, and Refusing to Submit to Arrest. The Maine State Police would like to thank the public for assisting them in identifying the suspect in this case. The male business owner was not injured. The investigation continues and more charges are likely to follow.