Police work to curb underage drinking
By Kathy McCarty
PRESQUE ISLE — Local police continue their efforts to curb underage drinking, responding to two separate incidents that occurred three days apart in the Star City earlier this month and resulted in at least two arrests.
The most serious incident occurred on Oct. 18 and resulted in a juvenile being taken to a Bangor hospital for an overdose.
The Presque Isle Police Department received a call on Oct. 18 at about 7:55 p.m. from a woman indicating her 13-year-old daughter had been given alcohol by another teenager at an Academy Street residence. A short time later, another call came in from Nicholas Leavitt, 18, of Presque Isle, indicating people were outside his Academy Street residence and he would like to see an officer. Sgt. Eric Erickson and Officer Kevin Reed responded.
Upon arrival at the Academy Street apartment complex, officers discovered a 13-year-old girl unresponsive in a nearby apartment. Officers went to Leavitt’s apartment and requested permission to enter and search the premises, which Leavitt agreed to. Erickson located empty liquor bottles and several items of drug paraphernalia. Leavitt denied giving the teen alcohol.
Leavitt was asked to come into the police station for a breath test. Erickson advised Leavitt he’d obtained information from two sources indicating Leavitt had furnished marijuana to the 13-year-old and two other 14-year-old teenagers, and that the 13-year-old had indicated she drank alcohol in Leavitt’s apartment.
Subsequent to the investigation, Leavitt was placed under arrest for aggravated furnishing of scheduled drugs and brought in for processing. Leavitt reportedly admitted to furnishing the marijuana to all three juveniles and that the 13-year-old had consumed alcohol from his kitchen.
The 13-year-old was taken to The Aroostook Medical Center and later transferred to Eastern Maine Medical Center’s ICU for treatment of an overdose. No information was available at presstime on what type of overdose was involved or on the girl’s condition.
Leavitt was bailed on $2,000 unsecured, with conditions. No court date was specified in the log.
On Oct. 15, the PIPD were notified around 8:48 p.m. of a disturbance on Dupont Drive involving noise and loud music. Officers Brian McQuarrie and Chris Hayes responded.
Upon arrival, officers found the occupant of the residence, identified as Jessica B. Littlefield, 26, with 18-year-old identified as Rici M. Hoyt and two juveniles. According to the police log, alcohol and drug paraphernalia were also found at the home.
Hayes summonsed Littlefield for furnishing a place for minors to consume alcohol. She was given a Presque Isle District Court date of Dec. 1. The two juveniles, ages 16 and 17, were each charged with possession of alcohol by a minor. They were given juvenile court dates in PIDC of Dec. 2. Hoyt was summonsed for sale and use of drug paraphernalia and given a PIDC date of Dec. 1.
