Man arrested after struggling with Husson College security, Bangor police and damaging cruiser

A Rhode Island man struggled with Husson College campus security and a Bangor police officer late Thursday night before being taken into custody.

Even inside a Bangor police cruiser, 21-year-old Joshua Silvia didn’t calm down, according to the police report. Silvia kicked out a portion of the right rear window frame and was spitting and blowing his nose in the back of the cruiser, reported Bangor police Officer Josh Ouellette.

Earlier, Silvia was one of about 100 people whom security officers were trying to disperse from a courtyard between dormitories about midnight Thursday. Silvia refused to cooperate, according to the police report, and swung at a security officer and at one point was on the ground on top of one of the security officials. He was aiming to throw a punch until the other security officer intervened.

Ouellette arrived to assist and reported that by then security officers were handcuffing Silvia and that it was apparent they had used pepper spray to help subdue the man.

The Bangor officer reported that Silvia tried to break free from his grasp and tried to head-butt him as they walked to the police cruiser. Silvia’s attitude didn’t improve once inside the cruiser, Ouellette said, and the vehicle had to be taken out of service to be fixed and cleaned.

Silvia was charged with disorderly conduct and aggravated criminal mischief.

A Boothbay Harbor man lost control of his motor home and swerved off the road to avoid stopped traffic on Route 2 in Orono late Friday afternoon. The police said he was intoxicated.

James Pothier, 47, was arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants after the investigating officer said the motor home driver admitted to having a couple of beers and failed field sobriety tests.

Orono police Sgt. Josh Ewing said Pothier was taken to Penobscot County Jail after he refused to take an Intoxylizer test at the police station.

Pothier was behind the wheel of the 1989 Chevrolet Escapee motor home and crested a hill about three-quarters of a mile from the Veazie line about 5 p.m. Ahead of him, two or three vehicles had stopped to allow another vehicle to make a left-hand turn.

Pothier told police he couldn’t stop in time. He slammed on the brakes and lost control of the motor home, which then swerved to the right. The motor home went off the road and struck a tree, Ewing said.

Pothier’s wife, Christine, 53, was in the back of the motor home at the time of the accident and was taken to a hospital for treatment of a small cut on her head, Ewing said. A dog in the vehicle was taken to the Animal Orphanage in Old Town.

The motor home was extensively damaged and towed away.

– Compiled by NEWS reporter Doug Kesseli