Masardis man faces charges after police standoff

MASARDIS – A Masardis man who was pulled over by police for allegedly speeding ended up in the Aroostook County Jail facing more serious charges after an incident that began on Monday evening and continued until early Tuesday morning.

Sgt. Forrest Dudley of the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department said in a written statement on Wednesday afternoon that Travis Lyons, 23, was driving his 1996 Ford truck along Route 11 in Masardis when he was stopped at approximately 9:30 p.m. by Lt. Darrell Crandall of the Sheriff’s Department.

Dudley said that Lyons was out on bail for reckless conduct as a result of an incident in Ashland on April 3. Conditions of his bail required him to submit to a search of his vehicle for the presence of drugs and alcohol, he added.

When Lyons heard the news, however, he refused to comply and sped away.

Dudley said that Crandall chased Lyons for several miles, sometimes at high speeds, along Route 11 but eventually suspended the pursuit for safety reasons.

Police later discovered Lyons’ truck at his family home, which also is located on Route 11 in Masardis.

According to the sergeant, police initiated telephone contact with Lyons, but the 23-year-old refused to surrender. After speaking with Lyons’ father, who also was inside the home, police learned that Travis Lyons had armed himself with a shotgun.

Numerous deputies from the Sheriff’s Department gathered at the scene, in concert with Maine State Police and officers from the Ashland Police Department.

Dudley said that two deputies had sporadic contact with Lyons until just before 2 a.m., when he agreed to drop his firearm, exit the home and surrender to authorities.

He was charged with eluding a police officer and violation of condition of release.

Lyons was scheduled to make an initial court appearance on Wednesday, according to Dudley, but additional information from the court could not be obtained Wednesday evening.