March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Routine stop by police goes awry when suspect brandishes weapon

PRINCETON — A routine stop at a residence at Princeton last week erupted into a firearms threat and ended with two men arrested and minor injuries to a Washington County sheriff’s deputy.

Sheriff Deputy George Bunker said that on Thursday afternoon, he and Deputy Robert Gross had arrested a man in Princeton and were on their way to the Washington County jail with the suspect when they passed near the home of Douglas Bailey, also of Princeton.

Bunker said Gross recalled that the Bangor Police Department had issued a warrant for Bailey’s son, Richard. Bunker said Gross wanted to stop at the house and discuss the matter with Bailey.

As they pulled into the yard, Bunker said, they saw Richard Bailey run from the rear of the house.

“At that point we had an individual running away who we assumed (was wanted on) a warrant. We wanted to detain him and verify if he was wanted or not,” Bunker said.

Bunker said that Gross left the car and began to pursue Richard Bailey across a field. About the same time, he said, Douglas Bailey came out of the house.

“He was very upset and angry. He said that the warrant on Richard had been taken care of earlier that week,” the deputy said. Bunker said he called to the younger Bailey to come back. He attempted to explain to the elder Bailey that if there were no warrant, no arrest would be made.

Bunker said the elder Bailey insisted that the officers would not arrest his son and said he had something that would stop them. Bunker said that as he began to leave the Bailey property to find Deputy Gross, Douglas Bailey allegedly pulled a .44-caliber Magnum from his truck.

In an attempt to cool the situation, Bunker said, he left the Bailey property, called for assistance and tried to locate Gross by radio. He said he eventually met Gross in the yard of the Princeton Elementary School. Douglas Bailey followed Bunker to the schoolyard.

At the school, Bunker said, Douglas Bailey was removed from his truck and the weapon was taken. He said that Douglas Bailey, age unknown, was arrested for threatening display of a weapon.

A friend of the Bailey family, Kenneth McDowell, age unknown, became embroiled in the situation at the schoolyard and was arrested for obstructing government administration. Both men were taken to the Washington County jail and later were released on bail.

Bunker said that he and Gross were assisted by other deputies and by the Indian Township and Princeton police departments. During the fracas at the schoolyard, Bunker received minor injuries to his back. He was treated at Down East Community Hospital Thursday afternoon and released.

Bunker said Monday that he believed the altercation with the Baileys was unfortunate and could have been avoided.

“This situation never should have happened. … After the fact we learned that Mr. (Douglas) Bailey was correct and that the warrant (on his son) had been cleared. We verify warrants when we detain somebody. … If we are lucky enough, we verify it beforehand. … If Mr. (Douglas) Bailey had listened to me and if he hadn’t been so upset, he would have heard me say twice that we were not going to arrest his son if there was no warrant,” he said.


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