Saco man hurt in rollover of SUV

A 23-year-old Saco man was still being evaluated at a Bangor hospital Thursday night hours after the sport utility, vehicle he was driving left U.S. Route 1A in Holden and struck an embankment, rolling over twice.

Rescue workers had to use specialized extrication equipment and remove the door of the Nissan Xterra in order to get James Garland out, according to Holden Deputy Kevin Harvey.

Garland, who was heading west on the busy road near the cemetery by Copeland Hill Road, fell asleep at the wheel about 6:09 p.m. The SUV drifted off the right side of the road and hit an embankment, where it became airborne. It rolled over twice before coming to a landing on its roof, Harvey said.

Inside the overturned SUV, Garland complained of head and neck pain and his left foot had been stuck at one point, although he managed to get it free himself, Harvey said.

Harvey held Garland in place to limit his movement until an ambulance could arrive. A nursing supervisor at Eastern Maine Medical Center said Thursday night that Garland was still being evaluated.

A 57-year-old Bangor man was summoned on a charge of criminal mischief after he was seen damaging signs promoting the gubernatorial candidacy of Rep. John Baldacci on Buck Street in Bangor on Thursday evening.

Wallace “Wally” Moran was riding his bike in the area of Buck Street across the street from the Bangor Daily News. A witness told police he saw Moran tearing one of the signs.

Bangor police Officer James Dearing said he found two signs that had been damaged. One was completely ripped in two, he said.

Stopped on his bike on Odlin Road, Moran admitted he had damaged the signs and specifically targeted the Baldacci signs.

Issuing Moran the summons, Dearing reminded the man of his Nov. 25 court date and that he needed to refrain from damaging any more signs.

“I can’t promise that,” Moran allegedly said.

An Ohio Street woman told Bangor police that a neighbor entered her apartment Thursday morning, accused her of stealing her alcohol, grabbed her hair and pushed her head into a wall.

The neighbor also said that before leaving, Bridgette York, 49, threatened to “bury her,” Officer Tyler Leighton said. The officer learned that York was out on bail and was prohibited from drinking alcohol, but that during the incident she apparently had been drinking.

York confirmed the drinking when Leighton visited her at her apartment and noticed an abundance of alcohol in the place. She denied the assault.

York was arrested and charged with the bail violation, and was also summoned on a charge of assault.

Bangor police determined that a motorist who struck two cars was intoxicated at the time and arrested him Wednesday.

Brian D. Clark, 51, of Bangor claimed he had just turned onto Harlow Street from Cumberland Avenue when he struck the two cars, police said. But Officer Edward A. Mercier noted the cars were about seven car lengths from the intersection. Mercier also noted that Clark showed signs of being intoxicated, including a strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath and glassy, bloodshot eyes. His speech was slurred and Clark admitted to drinking about two beers.

Clark performed poorly on field sobriety tests and lost his balance. Mercier arrested him on a charge of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants. His blood-alcohol content registered 0.10 percent, above the 0.08 percent legal limit.

– Compiled by NEWS reporter Doug Kesseli