DAYTON, Maine — State police say a Saco man attempted to kill at least one woman before barricading himself inside a Dayton structure Tuesday.
Police arrested Donald Henson, 47, of Saco on charges of aggravated attempted murder at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday after a nearly four-hour standoff at 645 Goodwins Mills Road, where the primary home on the property was destroyed by a fire that took off during the violent incident.
State Fire Marshal Joe Thomas said authorities were also investigating late Tuesday whether Henson was connected with a fire at 2 Maple St. in Saco in addition to house and vehicle fires at the Dayton property.
Henson fired shots from a separate structure on the Goodwins Mills Road property, as the house was engulfed in flames, according to Lt. Louis Nyitray, troop commander of Maine State Police’s Alfred barracks. It was difficult for police to see Henson’s exact location because of the smoke from the structure fire, he said.
“It did present some challenges because of the smoke,” said Maj. William King of the York County Sheriff’s Department. Law enforcement had to approach cautiously, he said.
State police, York County Sheriff’s Department and Saco law enforcement officers responded to a report of shots fired at the Goodwins Mills Road residence about 3:30 p.m.
Two women who are related to Henson were in the structure with him, but both managed to escape uninjured after shots were fired, said Nyitray. Police were questioning Henson on Tuesday night, trying to determine the details of what happened and what Henson’s motives were.
Kelly Roy, a resident of the Lyman neighborhood near the Goodwins Mills Fire Station, which law enforcement agencies were using as their command center during the incident, told the BDN she knew the suspect and his family, and that the two women who were in the structure were Henson’s wife and mother-in-law.
Police did not confirm the relationships Tuesday night.
“I am completely shocked because this is a quiet little town,” Roy said. “Horses at the neighbor’s house [were scared by the gunshots and] got loose.”
Police said Henson was not injured.
Other charges could be forthcoming, according to investigators.
“We are investigating three fire scenes related to this incident,” said Thomas.
Route 35 from the intersection of Route 5 in Dayton to John Road in the village of Goodwins Mills was closed to traffic during the incident.
Tac team will get there and play GI JOE make up party while the fire department saves the basement.
Maybe the shooter has already sneaked out the backdoor and is
down the road picking up a six pack and some smokes.
Wont be the first time.
Check the nearest C-store.
Best of luck to all.
Probably just ammunition exploding in the fire. Oops got that wrong. I guess I’ll get put on a list.
Since when were pink shirts and flowing hair regulation firefighter uniform?
its breast cancer awareness week. for real ribbons everywere
Put a pink armband on then, and hope your hair doesn’t flare up when you’re called to real duty….
Most likely a volunteer firefighter you’re finding fault with. She could change her clothes and fix her hair while your house is burning. Happy now?
thanks to the firefighters for keeping us all safe and trying to save peoples homes. most of you cant say anything except about complain about her attire? what is wrong with you? are you seriously uneducated or just plain ignorant?
Hey. I was standing up for her! Why you down on me?
This is a very small town where it happened. We rely on a volunteer force. I’m sure she was called away from whatever she was doing before she could change.
whoops, meant to be replying to county escapee!
Has your wife ever changed her hair at the same time as a slide down the pole? Maybe thats why we’re still stuck with cellar savers.
“Don’t save it, just contain it!” Happened to me up here.
Really, have you ever watched a woman pull her hair back into a pony tail? About 8 seconds flat. What to do with it afterwards, I don’t know, but standing there looking like a Transformer is humorous.
LOL Just what I was thinking. The rest of her regalia plus her stance sez it all…Wannabe! We’ve all seen the mall cop syndrome.
I might be happy if I look at i… I’ll shut up while I’m behind. :)
Funny how people sitting home are making fun of someone out serving the town they live in! Who are you to make fun?? Would you not want her out there doing the same thing while your house is on fire?? I bet you wouldn’t care what she looked like or what she was wearing or even that she is a woman if it was your house that was on fire!!! God I hate people who say say stupid crap like you!
I wouldn’t be dressed that way unless I wanted to look that way. She was only directing traffic, not to fight a fire for the sake of heysoos. She was contradictory OVERDRESSED! I can’t believe there are such people as you that blindly think that is the proper hairdo and shirt for the heavy leggings and coat. Not to denigrate our fighters, but for directing traffic, she was overdressed! It’s an ego trip on her part.
Back off, dood and look at her and what she was doing. Certainly not ready to fight a fire with that get up. There’s certainly not a pole to slide down out there to instantly make her ready to fight a fire!It’s a minor and silly thing, but not as silly as her dress for the situation. That’s my point…
People like that like attention. that’s all they know. They like to make it about themselves. If their house was on fire and had a child inthere and the only person who was willing to go in had pink hair I bet they wouldnt think it was a joke then.
And she could slide down the pole, put her hair in order, put on regulation clothes plus a helmet instead of a dress cap all at a second’s notice. If your not a comic book superhero, then stop with the drag to impress your ‘friend’.
thats why no armband that would be loose clothing, get a clue saftey first she was most likely told no ribbon. so she did best she can.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? With all that hair just ready to explode at the first sign of heat? At least an armband would be on the outside of her protective coat! She was dressed only for show and not for duty. Pomp and show only. Admit it, and YOU get a clue! wow
WOW is right!!! How about YOU GET A CLUE!!!! She was directing traffic, not fighting a fire!!! Having her suit on provides protection as it has reflective strips on it and is a bright color. She does not need her hair up to direct traffic!! If she stood out there in just regular street clothes, you would criticize her for that too. Move along TROLL!!!
This is all about a mall cop attitude. A traffic cop could have reflective colors and strips with a vest and not without all that heavy ‘look at me with all this heavy crap draped on me so you know who I am’ crap draped off her. Yes wow! look at her and tell me she is ready to fight a fire or just wants to look half the part.
Thats why she’s directing traffic with all that drag? A diesel trying to be lipstick. What a quandry
Are you suggesting she may be of a ‘different persuasion’? :) More the former than the latter.
You mean she might be bootch?
My gaydar isn’t the best with females, but Ma never stood the same as my Dad.
you are a mental case.
Yes, But a different mentality than you. It’s called realistic disdain for silly fashion statements.
Mental cases sometimes see reality better than stagnent cases
Oh, ya! But my critique of her dress certainly filled up this dreary thread, eh?
Just bang me up side the haid, I won’t feel it!
She is not at the fire seen so whats the big deal ?
Exactly! Why is she schleping all that unnecessary costume?
No big deal only to her to sweat it out with that get up. the escapee is right. Mall cop syndrome, no other reason
She wasnt prepared in any way to fight a fire, so why the heavey duty get-up with a white hat?
Diesel faux pax! I’ve got to look more than I probly am.
I agree. She also could be a Cancer survivor or going through it and took time out of her life to help someone. It amazes me the lenghths one goes to to attract attention to themselves by trying to take it away from someone else.
That is about as likely as her just returning from a trip to the moon.
Woulda, coulda, mighta are all candidates for the syndrome that she suffers from, but I’ll put my quarter on this: She relates to one of those Greek islands… UH OH!
It is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. she could have been at an event for the cause when the call came in.
Why does it bother you so much what that girl was wearing or what she was doing? Other than not being able to see yourself on t.v. I cant imagine why it would matter to throw a stranger under the bus in a comment section of the BDN while they are helping during a time that other people are losing their home. Amusing to you, is it?
It doesn’t bother me, but a crack about how she’s not dressed for fighting a fire and overdressed for a crosswalk monitor sure got the rest of you wound up! If you read all the way down thru, you’d see that it was I that said it was breast cancer awareness month (my wife’s a survivor!). Big deal. it’s also
October
Black History Month (UK)
National Book Month[14]
National Work and Family Month[15]
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National CyberSecurity Awareness Month[16]
Filipino American History Month
LGBT History Month
National Bullying Prevention Month
National Physical Therapy Month
American Pharmacists Month
Polish American Heritage Month
National Arts and Humanities Month
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
National Spina Bifida Awareness Month
National Child Health Day
Healthy Lung Month & Clean Air Month
National Family Sexuality Education Month
National Dental Hygiene Month
Let’s Talk Month
National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Autism Awareness Month (Canada)
Pastor Appreciation Month
Arab American Heritage Month
People should relax and get over themselves instead of this overreaction to a lame attempt at levity. Sheese!
Its called Disrespect and or Respect. If you dont like people calling you out on things then think about what it was that made them dislike your comment.
That woman was out there to do a good deed and all you can do is come in here and put her down because of the color of her hair? And your not the only one that mentioned Breast Cancer Awareness Month so no points for that one.
I usually enjoy reading your entries in here…this one, not so much.
I have had family members die because of Cancer and I am a survivor myself, so excuse me if I took your comment kind of personal but I would love for a family member to be alive to wear pink hair.
With todays society I could care less if they showed up to the fire in a Clown outfit because the point is…they showed up. Have a good day. :o)
This WILL be the end of it for me.
I did not mention the color of her hair, only that it didn’t look like a regulation style for fighting fire. The same as wearing what appears to be a T-shirt. If she wasn’t planning to do anything but direct traffic, then why those pants and coat. A reflective vest would’ve sufficed
I was the first to say Breast Cancer MONTH (not week). As I said before, my wife is a survivor, my mother wasn’t. Here in Boston, there is no escaping the pink walks, marathons, bike rides and ribbons year round, not just for one month. I’ve seen more people die in hospices from prostate cancer than breast cancer (I used to volunteer in 2 of them ’till I got too weak), But you don’t hear didily squat about that-ever!
Respect or not, I simply made a crack about how her dress was not proper for fighting a fire when suddenly everyone was throwing bombs in port-o-potties over it!! :|
you mean that island?
It’s actually breast cancer month, and wearing that shirt in a fire, she should be more concerned with them burning. Someone directing traffic doesn’t need all that much costume except for show.
All firefighters directing traffic are required by the Maine dept. of Labor to were reflective clothing that meats or exceeds osha standards ,and turn out gear meats these requirments.
And hair to be contained and protected. You can’t tell me much on firefighter’s regulations or OSHA’s requirements. I DID mention shirt AND hair, didn’t I?
Oh, I like meat and to meet too, but not necessarily at the same time! :)
Funny A friend of mine must wear a hairnet at a deli counter, but a firefighter can run into a fire at a moments notice with flowing blond flammable on her head?
We live in Maine….remembah.
Hence my handle. :)
I’m more concerned about the poor one-armed cop wearing the red shirt, in the first photo.
Sorry, I hadn’t noticed that. Thank you for bringing that to my attention, and maybe some other’s.
Seriously, he should be mentioned and I want to thank you for that. No matter how he may he may have lost it, he deserves commendation for any way he is part of our firefighters! Thanx
Pretty sure the Fire Marshal’s apparent amputation is a trick of the light?
That has a lot to do with the ridiculous dress and stance of an apparently less than ready for duty what ever her job might be. The photos were swapped long before you replied. He was one of the small ones while she was top and front. I’ve already commented about him. but ya gotta read the whole thread before banging someone. What a novel idea!
Some women just want to show masculinity to their partner and cant be caught tipping over. LOL
Just think, there’d be about 5 comments here if I hadn’t made fun of her contradictory crosswalk guard get up. For those who don’t take things too seriously, read on for much entertaining silliness:
I’ll bet he he was a Zumba visitor
“The structure”? That says a lot…
I was told the repsonse was so over the top it was like watching little boys play with their toys.