Crashed truck leads to man’s arrest

An abandoned vehicle found Sunday morning on Maine Avenue in Bangor led to the arrest of a man on charges of operating under the influence, operating after suspension and leaving the scene of an accident.

Bangor police Officer Jason Stuart answered a call that a vehicle was off the road and resting on a tree near the recycling center. Stuart found a blue Ford pickup truck with substantial front-end damage but no passengers, he wrote in his police report.

Footprints leaving the accident scene led to the area of the Union Street Laundromat. Stuart advised another officer to check for people in the area.

Stuart spoke to the woman who reported the accident. She told him that she drove by the area on Maine Avenue at 2 a.m. to drop off a friend. The truck was still there when she passed again at 2:30 a.m., when she contacted police, the report stated.

Officer Jason McAmbley, meanwhile, located two people at Dunkin’ Donuts on Union Street who appeared to be injured.

Jeremy Smith, 22, and Patrick Gregory, 23, admitted to being in the vehicle that crashed, but both declined treatment for their injuries.

The vehicle belonged to Gregory, but Smith told Stuart he was driving “because he was less drunk,” the police report stated.

Smith admitted he had two beers and two mixed drinks but hadn’t had anything since he and Gregory left Russell’s Entertainment Complex at 1 a.m. When asked what happened, Smith said he might have passed out, Stuart wrote.

Smith was arrested after police learned that his driver’s license was suspended. The truck was towed from the scene, and Smith was taken to Penobscot County Jail, where his blood alcohol content was determined to be over the legal limit.

Stuart charged Smith with OUI, operating after suspension and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident. Police also found more than $1,450 in cash in Smith’s wallet, the report stated.

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A Bangor man who called police Sunday was arrested on outstanding warrants after police showed up and found him hiding underneath his bed.

Brian Grass, 21, placed a call shortly after midnight Sunday to complain about two people who lived in his Catell Street apartment complex.

After Grass identified himself, police discovered that his name turned up two warrants out of Penobscot County.

Police arrived and entered Grass’ apartment, only to find him hiding under the bed. Grass was arrested and taken to Penobscot County Jail.

– Compiled by NEWS reporter Eric Russell