SKOWHEGAN — A father and son have been indicted on multiple charges following a high-speed chase in April on Interstate 95 in Pittsfield.
Joseph S. Chambers, 46, of Palmyra and Devin Chambers, 25, of Augusta are charged in the case involving the April 15 chase, according to court documents.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt, but an indication there is enough evidence to move forward with a trial.
Police said the chase occurred after police received a report of a vehicle operating erratically in town. Shortly after, the vehicle was found in a ditch off I-95 in Pittsfield.
Maine State Police troopers found the driver, Joseph Chambers, and his son, Devin, and determined Joseph Chambers was impaired, according to reports.
While officers were investigating the situation, Joseph Chambers sped away and led police on a high-speed chase, heading southbound, police said. A second state trooper eventually arrived and disabled the vehicle operated by Chambers.
While officers were trying to arrest Joseph Chambers, Devin Chambers physically attacked a trooper and a Pittsfield police officer, according to police.
Joseph Chambers is charged with eluding an officer, criminal operating under the influence, two counts of refusing to submit to arrest, driving to endanger, operating beyond license condition or restriction and criminal speed.
Devin Chambers is charged with two counts of assault on an officer, refusing to submit to arrest and obstructing government administration.
Also indicted in a separate case is Mark J. Walston, 40, of Newport, who faces charges of unauthorized use of property, refusing to submit to arrest, arson, burglary of a motor vehicle, theft by unauthorized taking and two counts of burglary.
On Jan. 11, Walston stole a vehicle on the Lakewood Road in Madison, according to court documents. The vehicle was later seen by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Jackman.
Agents later found the vehicle in Parlin Pond and, after Somerset County Sheriff’s deputies and Maine State Police arrived to assist, Walston fled the vehicle and ran into the nearby woods, dropping a crossbow as he ran, according to police.
After a brief foot chase, officers lost Walston. The following day, a fire was reported at a camp on Long Pond, near Jackman. A witness to the fire reported a man fitting Walston’s description was seen near the fire.
Shortly after firefighters responded to the camp, police received a report from the nearby Northland Hotel that footsteps were heard in a room that was supposed to be vacant.
Walston was found inside the hotel room and arrested without incident, according to police.
Other indictments involved drug, assault and theft charges. Police and court documents report the following allegations and charges:
• Phillip W. Vicnaire, 29, of Etna, charged with one count of authorized use of property. On June 29, 2020, in Pittsfield, Vicnaire was allegedly found in possession of a vehicle without the permission of the owner. Vicnaire has been convicted on charges of theft by unauthorized taking on Jan. 24, 2014; Aug. 10, 2015; and June 7, 2018.
• James P. Desmond, 53, of Ellsworth, charged with one count of criminal operating under the influence. On Jan. 1, in Pittsfield, Desmond was allegedly found operating a vehicle while intoxicated. In the past decade, Desmond has had two drunken driving offenses.
• Fred O. Barlow, 39, of Moscow, charged with one count of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and one count of violation of conditions of release. On Nov. 14, 2020, in Skowhegan, Barlow was allegedly found in possession of more than 200 grams of heroin, a violation of preconviction bail conditions.
• Paige Salisbury, 21, of Solon, charged with one count of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and violation of conditions of release. On Dec. 2, 2020, in Skowhegan, Salisbury was allegedly found trafficking in more than 270 grams of fentanyl powder, a violation of pre-conviction bail conditions.
• Jason M. Wright, 35, of Skowhegan, charged with one count of criminal operating under the influence. On May 26, 2020, Wright was allegedly found operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. Wright has previously been charged with two previous drunken driving offenses; on Sept. 8, 2014, and Feb. 8, 2017.
• Brady Stevens, 21, of Moscow, charged with one count of aggravated criminal operating under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident involving serious bodily injury or death, driving to endanger and operating beyond license conditions or restrictions. On Aug. 28, 2020, Stevens was allegedly found operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 grams or more. While operating the vehicle, Stevens caused serious bodily injury to another individual, then left the scene of the accident. Operating the vehicle on a public way was also in violation of a condition or restriction on his license.
• Noel J. Carpenter, 52, of North Anson, charged with one count of violation of a protective order and one count of violation of conditions of release. On Feb. 24, in Anson, Carpenter allegedly violated a court-approved protective order and has two or more prior convictions (for similar conduct) in Kennebec Unified Criminal Court and in the Skowhegan District Court.
• Noel J. Carpenter, 52, of North Anson, charged with one count of violation of a protective order. On Nov. 5. 2020, Carpenter allegedly violated a court-approved protective order.
• Michael Tarr, 35, of Palmyra, charged with two counts of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and one count of criminal speed. On June 12, 2020, in Pittsfield, Tarr was allegedly found in possession of more than 200 grams of fentanyl powder and was found operating a motor vehicle at a speed of 100 mph, which exceeded the posted speed limit by 30 mph or more.
• Mathew L. Flanders, 35, of Athens, charged with one count of operating after revocation. On July 25, 2020, in Hartland, Flanders was allegedly found operating a vehicle with a revoked license following a previous conviction on a charge of criminal operating under the influence, dated Sept. 24, 2015.
• Travis Gourley, 28, of Wellington, charged with one count of operating after revocation. On Dec. 27, 2020, in Pittsfield, Gourley was allegedly found operating a motor vehicle with a revoked license following a previous convictions for operating after habitual offender revocation or criminal operating under the influence, dated Nov. 6, 2019.
• Lukas L. Nelson, 32, of Norridgewock, charged with one count of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and one count of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs. On Dec. 24, 2020, in Madison, Nelson was allegedly found trafficking in 6 grams of fentanyl powder and in possession of cocaine base.
• Kristen Marie Stewart, 30, of Waterville, charged with unlawful possession of scheduled drugs. On Jan. 2, in Norridgewock, Stewart was allegedly found in possession of more than 200 milligrams of methamphetamine.
• Eric Piawlock, 25, of Anson, charged with one count of aggravated assault, one count of domestic violence assault and one count of domestic violence criminal threatening. On March 7, Piawlock allegedly caused bodily injury and threaten harm to another individual who is identified as a household or family member.
• Jason O. Rossi, 20, of Moscow, charged with one count of violation of conditions of release. On April 13, in Madison, Rossi was allegedly found in violation of pre-conviction bail conditions after coming in contact with a witness to a crime with which Rossi was involved.
• Keith O. Cookson, 61, of Anson, charged with two counts of violation of conditions of release. On April 19, in Anson, Cookson was allegedly found in violation of pre-conviction bail conditions after not following conditions including entering a long-term treatment facility and not to possess alcohol or illegal drugs.
• Peter J. Tsoukalas III, 35, of Solon, charged with two counts of domestic violence criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and one count of domestic violence assault. On Jan. 28, Tsoukalas III allegedly caused harm to an individual identified as a family or household member with firearms.
• Lucas M. Judkins, 37, of Palmyra, charged with one count of aggravated assault and one count of domestic violence assault. On Sept. 14, 2020, in Palmyra, Judkins allegedly caused bodily injury and terrorized an individual identified as a family or household member.
• Matthew M. Almeida, 34, of Hartland, charged with violation of conditions of release. On March 4, Almeida was allegedly in contact with a person who he was instructed not to contact under pre-conviction bail conditions.
• Nicholas A. Trask, 22, of Palmyra, charged with eluding an officer, driving to endanger, criminal speed and failure to stop for an officer. On May 30, 2020, in St. Albans, Trask failed to stop for a law enforcement officer, operating in a way that endangered others at a speed of 105 mph.
• Stephen G. Violette, 55, of Fairfield, charged with aggravated assault, burglary, criminal mischief and criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon. On Dec. 30, in Fairfield, Violette allegedly caused bodily injury to another individual with a baseball bat in the individual’s dwelling and damaged the property.
• Matthew M. Almeida, 34, of Hartland, charged with one count of domestic violence assault. On Dec. 17, 2020, in Fairfield, Almeida allegedly caused bodily injury to another individual identified as a family or household member. Almeida was convicted on similar charges on July 22, 2015, in the Kennebec Unified Criminal Court.
• Adrian J. Gariepy, 49, of Fairfield, charged with one count of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and terrorizing with a dangerous weapon. On Jan. 3, 2021, in Fairfield, Gariepy allegedly threatened another individual with a knife.
• Daniel Branch, 43, of Brownville, charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. On June 24, 2020, Branch, having been convicted of a crime in Washington state, was allegedly found in possession of a firearm.
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