2 arrested on I-395 in skateboard incident

BANGOR – Two men were arrested early Thursday morning after police stopped one of them for skateboarding down Interstate 395.

Bangor police spotted 21-year-old Lester Gibson of Frankfort riding his skateboard in the middle of the interstate at 1:30 a.m., according to a report by Officer Edward A. Mercier.

After Mercier turned on his lights and pulled up behind the man, he noticed a second man, 21-year-old Jeremy Danforth, also of Frankfort, who rode his skateboard through the intersection of Interstate 395 and Hammond Street.

Danforth stumbled into the cruiser as his board rolled past Mercier’s car and onto the southbound entrance ramp of Interstate 95, according to police. Throughout the incident, Danforth continually stepped into the road and had to be warned several times to step out of the path of traffic.

Mercier walked to retrieve Danforth’s skateboard, and said that before he could return, Danforth had walked back into the road. Danforth was warned a second time, and Mercier added that if he failed to stay out of the road he would be taken to jail. Danforth responded by yelling in Mercier’s face, “I just turned 21, I am drunk,” and yelled obscenities at the officer, according to Mercier.

Both Danforth and Gibson were extremely intoxicated and belligerent, according to police reports. They were given several disorderly conduct warnings but failed to listen to the officers.

Mercier said Gibson later pushed him with his index finger. When Mercier failed to respond to the action, Gibson became angered and yelled further obscenities.

Bangor officers arrested Danforth on two charges of disorderly conduct and one charge of refusing to submit to arrest. Gibson also was arrested for disorderly conduct.

The two were taken to Penobscot County Jail. While being transported, Gibson smashed his head into the divider in the back of the police cruiser.

Both were released later Thursday morning on $40 bail. Their court date is Sept. 9.