Monmouth targets drunken drivers

MONMOUTH — The town’s police department is beefing up drunken driving enforcement over the next couple of weeks.

Monmouth Police Chief Kevin Mulherin said his department will have an extra officer on the road several times between now and Jan. 1 looking for drivers who are operating under the influence. Mulherin wouldn’t specify how many details he has planned.

The extra patrols are being funded by a $5,000 Drive Sober Maine grant through the Maine Department of Highway Safety.

Mulherin said the department has received a number of grants aimed at enforcing seat belt laws, but this is the first targeting drunk drivers. Monmouth police responded to two OUI-related crashes and charged 13 drivers with OUI between Jan. 1 and the first of November.

Mulherin said there will be additional OUI details between Aug. 15 and Sept. 1, 2014.

Roads slippery in Kennebec County

A light snowfall Wednesday morning proved just enough to send drivers slipping and sliding across the back roads of northern Kennebec County.

State Police Trooper Diane Perkins-Vance said police responded to more than a half dozen crashes in Belgrade, Mount Vernon and Sidney. None of the crashes caused serious injury and all were attributed to snow, slush and ice that covered the secondary roads.

One of those crashes occurred shortly before 10:30 a.m., when a sport utility vehicle being driven south on River Road in Sidney slid off the road and into a utility pole. The pole broke in two and the car burst into flames.

The driver was able to get out of the car and was not hurt, Perkins-Vance said.

The section of road was shut down for about an hour.

Augusta

Tuesday: At 8:07 a.m., there was an accident at the intersection of Western Avenue and Interstate 95.

8:17 a.m., there was a traffic complaint on Riverside Drive.

8:52 a.m., there was a report of a hit-and-run accident on Memorial Circle.

9:17 a.m., there was an accident on Cony Circle.

10:55 a.m., theft was reported at TJ Maxx on Whitten Road.

10:58 a.m., there was a traffic complaint on Western Avenue.

11:42 a.m., there was a report of a hit-and-run accident on Western Avenue.

12:35 p.m., there was a report of a recent burglary on North Belfast Avenue.

12:55 a.m., shoplifting was reported at Aubuchon Hardware on Bangor Street.

1:33 p.m., there was an accident on Western Avenue.

4:12 p.m., there was a traffic complaint on Western Avenue.

4:28 p.m., firefighters responded to an alarm at Central Maine Power on Old Winthrop Road.

5:26 p.m., a 15-year-old was charged with theft by police responding to a complaint on Ryan Court.

7:03 p.m., there was a traffic complaint on North Belfast Avenue.

8:05 p.m., there was a report of suspicious activity on State Street.

8:33 p.m., there was an accident on North Belfast Avenue.

9 p.m., a person was reported missing from Glendon Street.

9:25 p.m., there was an accident at the intersection of Winthrop and South Chestnut Street.

10:02 p.m., there was a traffic complaint on Western Avenue.

10:10 p.m., there was a report of a disturbance at Bread of Life Ministries’ Lawrence House on Water Street.

Wednesday: At 12 a.m., there was an accident at the intersection of Leavitt Road and Eastern Avenue.

2:40 a.m., a domestic disturbance was reported on Chapel Street.

5 a.m., there was a report of a recent burglary on Boothby Street.

8:31 a.m., there was an accident on Medical Center Parkway.

8:57 a.m., there was an accident on Eastern Avenue.

11:38 a.m., trespassing was reported at Bread of Life Ministries veterans shelter on Hospital Street.

12:20 p.m., there was an accident on Capitol Street.

1:56 p.m., theft was reported on Enterprise Drive.

2:35 p.m., theft was reported at the Big Apple on Stone Street.

3:36 p.m., there was a traffic complaint on Marketplace Drive.

3:54 p.m., there was a report of a recent burglary on Mount Vernon Avenue.

4:21 p.m., firefighters responded to an alarm on Melville Street.

4:23 p.m., there was an accident at the intersection of Gage Street and Memorial Drive.

Chelsea

Tuesday: At 7:50 p.m., there was an accident on River Road.

China

Wednesday: At 12:28 a.m., an alarm sounded on Jones Road.

Gardiner

Tuesday: At 9:20 p.m., there was a report of suspicious activity on Summer Street.

Wednesday: At 4:50 a.m., there was an accident on U.S. Route 201.

Hallowell

Wednesday: At 7:59 a.m., there was a report of disorderly conduct on Water Street.

Monmouth

Tuesday: At 12:40 p.m., there was a report of suspicious activity on Wilson Road.

2:34 p.m., there was an accident on Wilson Pond Road.

Wednesday: At 5:11 a.m., a burglar alarm sounded at Monmouth Academy.

Randolph

Tuesday: At 2:13 p.m., theft was reported on Windsor Street.

Vassalboro

Tuesday: At 9:59 a.m., there was a report of a disturbance on Main Street.

4:50 p.m., a car hit a deer on U.S. Route 201.

Windsor

Tuesday: At 4:33 p.m., there was a 911 hang-up on Melaney Road.

Winthrop

Tuesday: At 9:36 a.m., there was a report of suspicious activity.

11:01 a.m., there was a 911 hang-up.