Houlton teen charged after speeding in Bangor

Claiming he had had only nonalcoholic drinks Thursday night, a 19-year-old Houlton man nevertheless showed signs of intoxication and a breath test indicated he was intoxicated.

Heading west on Union Street, Bangor police Officer James Dearing spotted a 1997 Ford Thunderbird approaching him near the city’s swimming pool at a high rate of speed, a speed the officer estimated at 50 mph in a 25 mph zone. Radar registered the speed initially at 48 mph, although it increased to 58 mph, according to the officer’s report.

Dearing turned around and stopped the car being driven by Robert C. Wright III, 19, of Houlton. There was an 18-year-old passenger in the car and both men denied drinking, although Dearing said their eyes were bloodshot and glassy and their speech was slurred.

Wright claimed he had had three nonalcoholic beers earlier, but a field sobriety test suggested otherwise and an Intoxilyzer test confirmed it. Wright’s blood alcohol content registered 0.15 percent on the Intoxilyzer test, or nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent. He was charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants and was given a citation for speeding.

A 17-year-old from Hudson suffered minor injuries after he lost control of the pickup truck he was driving when he tried to avoid a deer and drove off Hudson Hill Road Friday evening.

The Chevrolet S-10 was heading east when it skidded off the road and rolled onto its passenger side, reported state Trooper Seth Edwards. The 17-year-old reported having a sore neck and had a scrape on his leg, but said he didn’t need to be taken to the hospital by the G&H ambulance, Edwards said. He was taken to St. Joseph Hospital later on his own.

The name of the 17-year-old wasn’t available.

– Compiled by NEWS reporter Doug Kesseli