BANGOR, Maine — A Monson man arrested last month on more than a dozen mostly domestic violence charges and a Levant man who led police on a 32-mile chase that ended with a rollover crash in Ripley were among four people indicted Friday by the Piscataquis County grand jury.
Jared Clawson, 36, first was arrested on Dec. 19 on 16 charges stemming from an investigation that began when one of his alleged victims was interviewed by a district attorney’s investigator, according to R. Christopher Almy, district attorney for Piscataquis and Penobscot counties. Clawson was released on $15,000 cash bail on Dec. 22 after making his first appearance at the Penobscot Judicial Center.
Less than a week later, however, Clawson was back behind bars facing new charges that he violated conditions of his bail, as well as the terms of a protection order taken out against him by sending messages from his cellphone to his 3-year-old daughter’s iPad.
At that time, Newport District Court Judge Evert Fowle ordered that Clawson be held without bail because he allegedly violated the conditions of his release. The judge also set bail on the new Piscataquis County charges at $150,000 cash, Almy said.
Clawson was indicted on five counts of domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, domestic violence terrorizing, two counts of unlawful sexual contact, criminal mischief and aggravated assault.
The interview that led to the charges took place on Dec. 17, after a Corinth woman filed paperwork for a protection from abuse order in Newport District Court, according to an affidavit filed by Penobscot County District Attorney’s Office investigator Garry Higgins.
Upon reviewing her statement, Higgins determined that there were nine incidents that warranted charges. The incidents occurred in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties from May through October at locations in Bangor, Charleston, Monson and Willimantic, Almy said.
Almy said some of the threats Clawson made included threats to kill the woman. Almy said that children, ages 3 and 1, were present during some of the incidents.
Meanwhile, Michael Thompson, 27, of Levant was indicted on charges stemming from a 32-mile high-speed chase on July 8 of last year, a camp break-in and the theft of metal.
He is charged with driving to endanger, operating after suspension of his drivers license, five counts of Class C felony theft, Class B felony burglary and eluding an officer and reckless conduct, both of which are Class C felonies.
Also indicted in relation to the case was Angel Aubin, 42, of Etna, who was a passenger in the stolen Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck that Thompson was driving during the chase, Almy said. She is charged with Class B felony burglary and two counts of theft.
Almy said a witness in the case reported to the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office that there was a suspicious pickup near Wilson Stream in Elliotsville and that it was parked near a camp being burglarized. The witness said people were putting metal from the nearby railroad tracks in the back of the truck.
When Sgt. Mike Gould went to investigate, he attempted to stop the pickup but it took off, Almy said, citing police reports.
What followed was a high-speed chase that began in Monson, continued into Abbot on Route 15 and then proceeded toward Kingsbury on Route 16. It then went into the Somerset County towns of Harmony and Ripley — with speeds that exceeded 100 mph, Almy said.
Thompson then drove down an ATV trail, where he eventually stopped after the pickup rolled over and crashed while he tried to avoid a spike mat.
During the investigation that followed, Somerset County Detective Mike Ross learned that the camp that the witness had called police about had been broken into. The stolen items — a wooden bear ornament, a deer antler lamp and a birch basket — were recovered at the crash scene, Almy said.
The fourth person to be indicted was Kenneth A. Williams Jr.,38, of Milo, who was charged with Class C felony domestic violence assault.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and would like to talk with an advocate, call 1-866-834-4357, TRS 1-800-787-3224. This free, confidential service is available 24/7 and is accessible from anywhere in Maine.