Pair draw drug, conduct charges

Two Bangor brothers were arrested early Sunday morning for disorderly conduct after allegedly arguing with police near Benjamin’s on Franklin Street about drug charges.

Bangor Officer Shawn Green saw two men, identified as Darrin Pinette, 33, and Dennis Pinette, 42, both of Bangor, standing in an alley near the bar. The officer suspected possible drug activity, his report said, and Green left his cruiser to investigate.

As Green approached, he reportedly saw Darrin Pinette throw a small item over his shoulder. Green believed the item to be a pipe, his report said, and he told both men to put their hands against the wall.

Green requested backup as he searched the Pinette brothers. Darrin Pinette told the officer he didn’t have any marijuana and said the pipe belonged to his brother. Green did find a large amount of cash in Darrin Pinette’s pocket, his report said.

As Green was charging Darrin Pinette with possession of drug paraphernalia, another officer who arrived noticed a plastic bag containing marijuana between Dennis Pinette’s legs. Green then wrote Dennis Pinette a summons for possession of marijuana.

According to the report, Darrin Pinette began to argue with Green that the charges were false, and the officer issued Darrin Pinette a disorderly conduct warning. When Darrin Pinette continued to yell at the officer and refused to sign his summons, Green placed him under arrest.

Dennis Pinette, who was waiting across the street, also began swearing at the officers and was warned as well. Green’s report said Dennis Pinette ignored the warning and yelled to the officer, “I want your [expletive] badge number.” Green then arrested Dennis Pinette for disorderly conduct.

Both brothers were taken to Penobscot County Jail. Green’s report said when they were at the jail, Darrin Pinette told the officer he “had no idea who he was messing with” and that Darrin Pinette “knew lots of people in this town who could take care of this for him.”

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A Bangor man was arrested on charges of operating under the influence Saturday after police stopped his van near the Hampden exit of Interstate 395.

Officer Shawn Green saw Keith Ashton, 32, pull onto Outer Hammond Street near the Ramada Inn. Green pursued the vehicle as it continued on I-395, watching the van nearly drive into a grass median near the Hampden exit, the officer’s report said.

Green pulled the van over and asked the man to exit the vehicle. Green’s report said Ashton was unsteady on his feet, and he admitted to drinking “quite a bit.”

At that point, the report said, Ashton put his hands behind his back as if he were going to be handcuffed. Green told Ashton he needed to conduct a field sobriety test, but Ashton told the officer to “get things going,” the report said. Green then asked Ashton if he wanted to be arrested and Ashton said he did.

Officer Green arranged to have Ashton’s van towed so that his wife and children would not be without a vehicle, the report said. The officer also learned that Ashton’s license had been suspended.

Green took Ashton to the station to book him on charges of OUI and operating after suspension. Ashton was unable to stop burping while Green tried to administer an Intoxilyzer test, the report said, so the officer had to take Ashton to Eastern Maine Medical Center for a blood test.