A Hancock man suspected of drinking and driving told the arresting police officer he was doing him a favor as he owed the IRS a substantial sum of money.

Ronald Pinkham, 48, was pulled over in Bangor early Friday morning for failure to stop for a flashing red light at the intersection of Oak and Washington streets, a light Pinkham said he didn’t even see. Throughout the investigation, Pinkham was cooperative, reported Officer Shawn Green, who said Pinkham recited the alphabet through the letter R without being asked to do so.

Admitting to drinking earlier, Pinkham told Green he wanted the officer to know he had some marijuana in one of his pockets, explaining that he made the confession because he didn’t want to be difficult.

Pinkham also told Green the officer was doing him a favor, as he owes the IRS $107,000 in back taxes.

Green charged Pinkham with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants. The Intoxilyzer test registered the Hancock man’s blood alcohol content at 0.15 percent or nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

Green also summoned Pinkham for the red light violation, but decided not to charge him for the marijuana – which he found where Pinkham said it would be – as Pinkham had been so cooperative.

A 24-year-old University of Maine student stopped for speeding earlier this week told Orono police he was on his way to a test and was running late.

Jamal Ahmed also was running more than 40 mph above the speed limit and, according to Officer Willy King’s police report, was driving with a suspended license.

King was on College Avenue headed toward Old Town about 12:40 p.m. Wednesday when he noticed a dark-colored Dodge Neon approaching him at a high rate of speed. King said the cruiser’s radar showed the car going 66 mph in a 25-mph zone.

Ahmed admitted he might have been driving “way too fast,” according to the police report. King said a records check indicated Ahmed’s license in Maine was suspended because of failure to pay a fine.

Ahmed was charged with operating a motor vehicle after license suspension and with criminal speeding.

– Compiled by NEWS reporter Doug Kesseli