Police stop pickup twice; 2 drivers charged

The first time Bangor police officers stopped a pickup truck late Sunday night, the two passengers inside were intoxicated while the driver was sober, although his license was suspended.

The second time they stopped the truck – about a half-hour later – a passenger was driving, although he was trying awfully hard to convince the officers that he wasn’t behind the wheel.

Motorist Jeffery Daigle, 18, of Medway, appeared to be sober, but Officer Jason Stuart issued him a summons during the first stop on a charge of operating a motor vehicle after license suspension. At the time, Jason Ladd, 21, of Medway was one of two passengers who had been drinking. They were warned not to drive, Stuart reported.

About a half-hour later, Stuart and Officer David Bushey, in one cruiser, saw the pickup truck driving on Main Street and this time Ladd was behind the wheel. When Ladd realized the police were behind him – blue lights flashing – he ducked down, apparently trying to hide, Stuart surmised.

The pickup truck swerved into a parking lot near Cedar Street and Ladd put it into park although the truck kept rolling. There was activity inside the truck.

“The passenger appeared to dive down into the passenger side while the vehicle was still moving,” Stuart reported.

Once stopped, Ladd was pressed in between the passengers and dashboard and protested that he hadn’t been driving. Stuart remained unconvinced and charged him with operating after suspension and with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants.

Compiled by BDN reporter Doug Kesseli