Woman, 35, charged in parking-lot assault

A Kenduskeag woman was charged with assault Saturday after she reportedly tried to back over a Burlington Coat Factory sales associate with her vehicle.

Bangor police Officer Dennis Townsend arrived at the store and was greeted by the suspect, Penny Brown, 35. Brown told Townsend that she became upset after Burlington Coat Factory would not give her cash back for a pair of boots she was attempting to return.

The store manager, who said he witnessed the entire event, said that after Brown was refused a refund, she grabbed a male associate, scratching his arm, and threw a box at him before leaving the store.

The associate then followed Brown to the parking lot to get her license-plate number. The manger told Townsend that Brown twice tried to back into the associate with her vehicle, which prompted the store employee to punch out Brown’s back window in self-defense, Townsend’s report said.

The store manager also said Brown’s vehicle circled the store several times, nearly hitting a group of customers in the parking lot. Brown told Townsend she drove at the associate just to scare him a little, the officer’s report said.

Brown was charged with assault and driving to endanger. The case in pending review of the District Attorney’s Office for further charges.

– . –

A Bangor woman was charged with operating under the influence early Sunday morning after officers observed her car make a wrong turn down a one-way section of Hammond Street.

Bangor Officers Mercier and Bushey watched the vehicle, driven by Emily Bell, 25, make the wrong turn, then turn around and continue down Hammond Street toward Interstate 395 east at 12:27 a.m., Mercier’s report said.

Bell’s vehicle traveled slowly down I-395 and even ventured into the breakdown lane before the officers pulled her over, the report said.

Mercier approached the vehicle and asked Bell if she had been drinking, to which she replied “yes,” the officer’s report said. Bell told Mercier she had had two beers, and she was asked to exit the vehicle. Mercier’s report said Bell used the door to her vehicle for balance and that the woman appeared very intoxicated.

Mercier said he administered a field sobriety test, which Bell failed, and the woman was placed under arrest and taken to Penobscot County Jail. Officer Bushey administered a blood alcohol test at the jail, which found Bell to be about 21/2 times over the legal limit.

– . –

A Bangor teenager faces multiple charges after failing to stop for a police officer late Friday night.

Bangor police Officer Steve Jordan noticed a vehicle in the parking lot of the swimming pool on 13th Street, which is currently under construction. The area is a city park and is closed to the public after 10 p.m.

As Jordan approached, the vehicle turned on its lights and left the lot, continuing on Union Street, the officer’s report said. Jordan said he turned on his signals, but the vehicle sped up and turned down 15th Street.

Jordan’s report said the vehicle reached speeds of 35 to 40 mph during the brief chase. The vehicle turned into a driveway on 15th Street and slid into a chain-link fence, the report said.

The vehicle’s driver, Joshua Masters, 18, exited the vehicle at the same time Jordan exited his cruiser, and the officer told the teen to put his hands on the car. Jordan handcuffed Masters and put him into the cruiser, his report said.

Jordan then spoke to a female passenger in Masters’ vehicle, who admitted to having one Mike’s Hard Lemonade. Jordan found four unopened bottles of the alcoholic beverage in the back seat and confiscated them. The officer called the girl’s mother, who agreed to come to the station to pick her daughter up.

Masters also admitted to drinking one of the bottles, but his blood alcohol level was 0.00 percent, according to Jordan’s report. The teen was transported to Penobscot County Jail, where Jordan found a marijuana pipe and small baggie of marijuana when he searched Masters.

Masters was charged with operating without a license, failure to stop for an officer, possession of marijuana and illegal transportation of alcohol by a minor.

– Compiled by NEWS reporter Eric Russell