Search for local man ends with crash
PRESQUE ISLE — A local man escaped serious injury Nov. 15 when he lost control of his vehicle and struck first a light pole and then a house at the intersection of Parsons and Park streets.
The incident concluded an eventful day for Michael D. Shapiro, 26, of Presque Isle, who’d been the subject of several calls to the Presque Isle Police Department.
Calls began with the Fort Fairfield Police Department contacting the PIPD at about 2:20 p.m. reporting Shapiro had been to his parents’ Fort Fairfield home earlier in the day and had “torn up the house.” Chief Joe Bubar indicated he’d received word that there was a disturbance at Shapiro’s apartment and his girlfriend was with him.
Shapiro’s mother then called the PIPD at 3:35 p.m. reporting her son’s girlfriend had called her saying she had locked herself in the bathroom and that Shapiro was in another room threatening to harm himself. Det. Bill Scull and Officer Pete Johnson, both of the PIPD, responded to his State Street apartment but had no contact with the subject.
The mother called the department again at 6:21 p.m. requesting officers attempt to locate her son. She indicated Shapiro had been to their home earlier and had a disagreement with her and his father. She told police her son intended to harm himself. Again, Scull and Johnson responded, checking Shapiro’s apartment but were unable to locate him.
A short time later the PIPD received a call indicating a personal injury accident had occurred at the corner of Parsons and Park streets. The caller reported a truck “just blew through the stop light at Park and Parsons streets and hit a house.”
Johnson and Scull responded. Upon arrival, officers discovered a vehicle operated by Shapiro had struck a utility pole, breaking it off, then hit a house a nearby house. Crown Ambulance and the Presque Isle Fire Department, as well as Maine Public Service, responded to the scene. Jerry’s Towing was contacted to remove the vehicle, which was considered a total loss. Damage to Shapiro’s vehicle, the utility pole and house was estimated in the thousands.
Traffic was hampered for nearly an hour as crews worked to remove the vehicle and replace the pole. The home, owned by Andrea Gardner, was vacant at the time of the accident and sustained minimal damage.
“After being extricated from the vehicle, Shapiro was transported to The Aroostook Medical Center by Crown where he was treated and released later in the evening,” said Johnson. No other injuries were reported as the result of the crash.
While at the hospital, Shapiro became unruly, reportedly assaulting staff. The PIPD was notified at 8:10 p.m. and officers returned to assist. Police were contacted again at 11:15 p.m. that Shapiro was again “becoming aggressive.” Johnson returned to the hospital, at which time he spoke with Shapiro about events that transpired earlier.
According to the police log, Shapiro stated he was “not trying to harm himself” and that the crash occurred because he was “using nitrous oxide and passed out.” Shapiro was medically cleared and transported back to his residence by Officer Johnson.
Police indicated due to the nature of the chemical Shapiro allegedly used, it was unlikely charges would be made, since the chemical dissipates rapidly in the body and unless tests are done soon after use, it would most likely be undetectable.
