Brewer police arrest two for drug possession

Brewer police seized marijuana and prescription medications from a Clifton couple they had stopped Wednesday night on North Main Street for driving a car with a loud exhaust.

According to Cpl. Levi Sewall, Brenda Sjostrom, 39, was the driver of the black 1988 Chevrolet Corsica although her license was suspended in October 2000, Officer John Knappe learned. Her passenger was her husband, William Sjostrom, 38, whose license had expired.

Knappe arrested the wife, and while searching her pocketbook police found a small plastic bag of marijuana, a marijuana pipe, eight Darvocet prescription pills, a pill crusher and two straws that had a white residue in them and that police suspect were used for snorting drugs.

Sjostrom claimed the pills belonged to her son and husband, then narrowed down her answer to just her son. Her husband claimed they were his pills and that he had given some to his wife.

Knappe charged the wife with operating a motor vehicle after suspension, possession of a Schedule W drug (Darvocet), possession of a suspended license, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Her husband was charged with furnishing a Schedule W drug (Darvocet) and possession of a Schedule W drug (OxyContin). Sewall said Knappe found 10 OxyContin pills on William Sjostrom.

As a Brewer police officer was trying to catch up to a speeding motorist who had been passing other vehicles Tuesday night, the motorist stuck her arm out the window several times, apparently motioning the officer to pass her.

The pursuit ended after more than four miles when 48-year-old Gayle Lebritton pulled into her trailer park home and got out, with Brewer police Officer John Knappe behind her, his cruiser’s lights flashing and siren sounding.

Brewer police charged Lebritton with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants, criminal speeding and failure to stop for a police officer.

Lebritton came to Knappe’s attention after she pulled out of the Irving Mainway convenience store on North Main Street and cut off two other vehicles, one of them Knappe’s cruiser.

Brewer police Cpl. Levi Sewall said Lebritton sped off and that Knappe had difficulty keeping up with her. Police estimated that Lebritton reached speeds of 80 mph in a 40 mph zone. Knappe cut into her lead when she slowed on a corner by the Eagle’s Nest Restaurant and again when she turned onto the Day Road and headed toward the trailer park.

Lebritton told police that one of her tires was losing air and that she had to get home as quickly as possible.

An incident reported in Monday’s “From Police Files” involving Michael W. Lane, 23, of Bangor contained incorrect information. Lane did not strike his 19-year-old girlfriend. He also did not leave the scene of the incident until escorted by police. Although he initially was charged with domestic assault and obstructing the report of a crime, those charges were dropped. He pleaded guilty Thursday to disorderly conduct. The incorrect information that appeared in the paper stemmed from an editing error.

– Compiled by NEWS reporter Doug Kesseli