Orono pub faces action for possible violations

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The Bear Brew Pub in Orono faces possible administrative action regarding alleged violations of the bar’s state liquor license as a result of a series of incidents early Sunday morning, police said.

Sgt. Scott Wilcox of the Orono Police Department said the trouble began just after midnight, when two Brew Pub patrons began heckling Officer Andrew Whitehouse and a female motorist he had stopped in the Pine Street parking lot, located just behind the bar.

The two patrons were on the Brew Pub’s second level back deck at the time.

“They were making comments about [Whitehouse] and intoxication and driving and basically were just screaming,” Wilcox said. “They were assuming [the motorist] was intoxicated, but she was not.”

Whitehouse radioed Wilcox and fellow officer Jason Zalva for assistance and the three entered the pub and went up to the deck in search of the two disorderly patrons, intending to issue disorderly conduct warnings.

In the process of doing so, however, they asked for identification and learned that one of the patrons, Zachary Wing of Levant, was 20, one year shy of the legal drinking age.

Wing was in possession of a Bud Light draft beer at the time and was issued a summons for illegal possession of alcohol by a minor.

The other rowdy patron, Ryan Hurd of Lincoln, was 21, he said.

“Because of that, we went back inside and began asking [other patrons] for identification,” he said. That turned up another minor, 20-year-old Stephanie Johnson of Carmel. Wilcox said Johnson, who was not in possession of alcohol when police arrived, was not charged. She will, however, be required to serve as a witness in the administrative case.

The police also noted that there was no bouncer or anyone else checking identifications at the door, Wilcox said.

The officers then turned their attention to William Baker of Orono, the bartender who was working the deck that night.

“Mr. Baker was advised that he had served two underage persons and that those two people had told Officer Whitehouse that they hadn’t been carded,” Wilcox said. “Mr. Baker said he had carded them.”

While the interview was taking place, Whitehouse noted that Baker’s eyes were bloodshot and watery and detected the odor of alcohol on his person.

When asked, however, Baker denied drinking, claiming he had just consumed Red Bull, a popular energy drink.

The pub’s owner, Matthew Haskell, was called to the bar. When he arrived, police informed him of the alleged violations.

“We had Mr. Baker come out of the bar at that time so that we could talk with him,” Wilcox said. “It was explained to him that he could either come to the station and take an Intoxilyzer test or tell us.”

Baker then changed his story, telling police he had been tasting some of the drinks he was making with a straw for taste and alcohol content. He said he had sampled at least three drinks, two containing vodka and one made from rum.

Wilcox said that as a result, the following five counts will be referred to the Maine Bureau of Liquor Enforcement for administrative action:

. Two counts of failure to request identification from persons under the age of 27.

. Two counts of providing liquor to persons under the age of 21.

. One count of an employee or agent consuming liquor while working. (Dawn Gagnon, BDN)

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An Orono girl escaped serious injury Saturday after her bicycle was struck by a car leaving the University Motor Inn on College Avenue in Orono.

According to Sgt. Scott Wilcox of the Orono Police Department, the girl, whose name was withheld because of her age, was riding her bicycle on the sidewalk near the inn about 3:25 p.m. when the bike was struck by a car driven by Lesley Farnsworth, 30, of Orono.

Farnsworth and the girl did not see each other until it was too late because their visibility was obscured by tall hedges surrounding the inn.

The girl managed to jump off her bike, which got wedged under the car, Wilcox said.

The girl was taken to a Bangor hospital to be checked out. Her injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.

Orono officers Wilfred King and Stephen Marko investigated the accident and said no charges would be filed. (Dawn Gagnon, BDN)