Editor’s note: The charge of criminal mischief against Aaron Krupka, 42, was dropped in March by the Waldo County District’s Attorney’s Office.
BELFAST, Maine — Police said this week that an escalating boundary dispute on a private Belfast road easily could have ended in tragedy, after a man cut a tree near the contested right-of-way that fell on a live power line.
That man, Aaron M. Krupka, 42, of the Patten Pit Road, was arrested and charged with criminal mischief because of the reckless way he cut down the pine tree on Saturday, Jan. 2, according to Belfast Police Chief Mike McFadden. Krupka allegedly got into the bucket of a front-end loader and used a chain saw to hack down the pine tree, without notching it so he would be in control of where it came down, police said.
“He simply isn’t knowledgeable enough to safely cut a tree down in any location,” McFadden said Wednesday. “This tree was located next to a house and power lines. The pine tree fell and took the power lines with it … [Krupka] then decided to limb the tree out with a chain saw, stepping over live power lines. I can’t explain why he didn’t get electrocuted. He was just very, very lucky.”
According to the chief, the dispute between two Patten Pit Road residents over the exact location of the right-of-way began months ago. The private road is located off Route 52, near the Back Belmont Road. Krupka’s property is “landlocked,” McFadden said, and he needs to use the right-of-way to access his property.
“Neither of the neighbors has taken on the task of formally determining where those boundary lines exist, but it hasn’t stopped them from arguing,” the chief said. “They’ve been in turmoil for quite some time.”
The police first began to receive calls about the ongoing dispute in late June 2015. In the six months since then, Belfast police have been called out to Patten Pit Road “at least 23 times,” McFadden said.
“That’s not counting the times the disputing parties have come into the office to speak with an officer,” he said. “It’s a significant amount of time and effort that’s been placed on our service to address a problem we have no authority over. However, we’re the first ones they seem to call when an argument gets heated.”
According to McFadden, when Krupka decided to cut down the tree that was located somewhere within or near the disputed right-of-way, the other Patten Pit Road resident videotaped the episode.
“He was pleading with him not to do it,” the chief said.
Police arrived just before the tree fell and saw it crash to the ground atop the power lines. A Central Maine Power official also responded and determined that the lines were, in fact, live. The electric utility will charge Krupka for the cost of the damaged lines, McFadden said.
“When Mr. Krupka was safely in a place the officers could make contact with him, they placed him under arrest for criminal mischief,” the chief said.
His bail conditions forbid him from cutting any more trees. He also is not supposed to do any more work on the right-of-way, McFadden said, or have any contact with the neighbor.
“We’re hoping this incident will motivate the individuals to hammer out their disagreement appropriately,” the chief said. “It needs to be settled in court.”