A man is in custody after allegedly firing gunshots at three Central Maine Power substations in Kennebec County early Sunday morning, causing damage to electrical infrastructure but no injuries.
Gunfire was first reported at the Coopers Mills substation in Windsor around 12:15 a.m. Officers were called to a substation on Benton Avenue in Winslow at 3:59 a.m., followed by a third report at the Capitol Street substation in Augusta at 4:15 a.m, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss said in a statement.
Later Sunday morning, 54-year-old Thomas Welch of Fairfield turned himself in to Winslow police. Welch was charged with aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated reckless conduct. He was taken to the Kennebec County Jail following an initial investigation into the attacks.
Police described each attack as similar. At each location, law enforcement discovered evidence of gunfire and physical damage to the installations. A Central Maine Power spokesperson said while the gunfire caused damage, system redundancies allowed crews to quickly restore power to customers who lost it.