Augusta PD gets teen driving grant

AUGUSTA — Augusta Police have received $5,000 to provide education and enforcement aimed at reducing teen driving risks.

The grant, provided by the state’s Bureau of Highway safety, will be used to fund programs on impaired and distracted driving at Cony High School, said Deputy Chief Jared Mills of the Augusta Police Department. The department will work with the law enforcement class at the Capital Area Technical Center to offer the programs.

“The thing we’re really excited about is partnering with the schools,” Mills said.

The programs will be offered early next year. They will address three key threats to teen driving safety, including the importance of wearing seat belts, as well as driving while impaired or distracted. Texting while driving, and impaired driving, are statistically significant factors in crashes among teenagers, Mills said.

Once the educational component is complete, part of the grant will be used on enforcement by assigning officers to target distracted or impaired teen drivers.

“The overall goal of the grant is crash reduction among new and teen drivers,” Mills said.

Augusta

Tuesday: At 5:02 p.m., there was an accident on Bangor Street.

5:37 p.m., an assault was reported at Augusta House on Winthrop Street.

10:13 p.m., there was an accident at the intersection of Church Hill Road and North Belfast Avenue.

11:07 p.m., there was a disturbance reported on Northern Avenue.

11:18 p.m., a disturbance was reported at the Super 8 Motel on Western Avenue.

Wednesday: At 3:12 a.m., disorderly conduct was reported on State Street.

4:55 a.m., there was an accident on Old Belgrade Road.

6:39 a.m., there was a trespass complaint on Northern Avenue.

7:31 a.m., firefighters responded to an alarm on Lambard Road.

8:03 a.m., a disturbance was reported on Capitol Street.

8:53 a.m., a drug offense was reported at the Motel 6 on Edison Drive.

8:58 a.m., there was a report of a traffic light problem at the intersection of North Belfast Avenue and Church Hill Road.

9:45 a.m., there was an accident on Bangor Street.

10:08 a.m., there was a traffic complaint on North Belfast Avenue.

10:44 a.m., there was an accident on Anthony Avenue.

10:50 a.m., a hit-and-run accident was reported on Whitten Road.

10:55 a.m., there was a 911 hang-up at Motivational Services on Hospital Street.

12:06 p.m., theft was reported at the Rotary Garage on Water Street.

1:57 p.m., mischief was reported on New England Road.

2:38 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from Boothby Street.

Belgrade

Tuesday: At 1:44 p.m., a burglar alarm sounded on Knowles Road.

2:13 p.m., a burglar alarm sounded on Point Road.

2:28 p.m., suspicious activity was reported on Route 11.

7:06 p.m., a burglar alarm sounded on Augusta Road.

Fayette

Tuesday: At 9:26 a.m., there was an accident on North Road.

Gardiner

Tuesday: At 4:13 p.m., there was an accident on Marston Road.

10:51 p.m., a burglar alarm sounded at Riverview Community School on River Road.

Hallowell

Wednesday: At 3:47 a.m., mischief was reported on Winthrop Street.

9:44 a.m., there was a report of a hit-and-run accident on Water Street.

1:04 p.m., a disturbance was reported on Water Street.

Manchester

Tuesday: At 9:06 a.m., there was an accident on Hillside Road.

9:08 a.m., an accident was reported at the intersection of Pond and Hillside roads.

7:24 p.m., there was an accident on Western Avenue.

9:27 p.m., there was an accident on Granite Hill Road.

Monmouth

Tuesday: At 5:09 p.m., theft was reported on Back Street.

Wednesday: At 6:17 p.m., there was an accident on Prescott Hill Road.

Mount Vernon

Wednesday: At 6:51 a.m., a burglar alarm sounded on Bean Road.

Readfield

Tuesday: At 4:47 p.m., there was an accident on Main Street.

Sidney

Tuesday: At 3:59 p.m., there was a report of suspicious activity on Pond Road.

10:16 p.m., there was an accident on Belgrade Road.

Wayne

Tuesday: At 2:40 p.m., there was an accident on Kents Hill Road.

Winthrop

Monday: At 6:27 p.m., there was an accident.

Tuesday: At 6:46 a.m., there was an accident.

7:17 a.m., injury was reported after an accident.

ARRESTSAugusta

Wednesday: At 1:30 a.m., Benjamin R. Nadeau, 24, of Bath, was charged with operating under the influence by police responding to a traffic complaint on North Belfast Avenue.