SKOWHEGAN — A Skowhegan man has been indicted on arson and attempted murder charges for intentionally setting his apartment on fire in October, according to officials.
Neil T. Maclean, 63, was indicted last month by a Somerset County grand jury on two counts of arson and one count of attempted murder.
Court documents submitted by Jeremy Damren of the Office of State Fire Marshal allege Maclean told Damren and responding police officers he had set the fire and was trying to kill himself and his wife.
The incident began Oct. 30, 2022, when Maclean’s wife called 911 just after 4:30 a.m. to report her apartment was on fire. The woman said Maclean had started the fire and was refusing to come out of the apartment. Skowhegan police officers responded and had to drag Maclean out of the second-floor apartment.
None of the smoke detectors in the building sounded, Damren said, and other residents were notified by members of the Skowhegan Police or Fire department, who knocked on doors. Several tenants told Damren it was not uncommon for Maclean and his wife to fight.
Damren said he had determined the fire originated from a bed inside one of the bedrooms, and there were no accidental causes.
Maclean told Damren he had used matches to set fire to clothing on top of his bed in an effort to kill himself and his wife, and he did not care what might happen to the building’s other tenants, according to court documents.
Maclean remains in custody at the Somerset County Jail in Madison.
Maeghan Maloney, the district attorney for Kennebec and Somerset counties, said Maclean’s bail has been set at $25,000. A mental health examination was ordered in November, and Maclean is scheduled to be arraigned March 22.
An indictment is not a determination of guilt, but indicates enough evidence exists for a case to move forward to trial.
The grand jury, which rose Feb. 24, also indicted the following:
• Scott D. Frost, 35, of Norridgewock, receiving stolen property, June 6, 2022, in Norridgewock.
• Garrett Michael Chapman, 33, of Waterville, eluding an officer, driving to endanger, criminal speed and failure to stop for an officer, Aug. 6, 2022, in Fairfield.
• Roger Googe, 55, of Fairfield, two counts of domestic violence assault, Oct. 13, 2022, in Fairfield.
• Dakota S. Smith, 25, of Fairfield, domestic violence assault and obstructing report of a crime or injury, Sept. 11, 2022, in Fairfield.
• Whitney C. Logan, 35, of Hartland, two counts of unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs, Nov. 8, 2022, in Fairfield; two counts of violation of condition of release, Jan. 14, in Hartland.
• Jeremy R. Goodwin, 43, of Fairfield, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, two counts of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and two counts of criminal forfeiture, Oct. 22, 2022, in Fairfield.
• Michael A. Brann, 36, of Detroit, aggravated forgery, Jan. 3, in Detroit.
• James D. Gordon, 31, of Anson, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, criminal forfeiture and six counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, Nov. 1, 2022, in Anson.
• Shawn Peary, 33, of North Anson, violation of a protective order, three counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and two counts of violation of condition of release, Nov. 1, 2022, in Anson.
• Joelle Morgan Serafino, 28, of Anson, three counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, Nov. 1, 2022, in Anson.
• Seth D. Thomas, 26, of Anson, operating after revocation and violation of condition of release, Oct. 23, 2022, in Norridgewock; and aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, Nov. 1, 2022, in Skowhegan.
• Joseph R. Quimby, 41, of Palmyra, endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful operation of a methamphetamine laboratory, two counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and three counts of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, Oct. 27, 2022, in Palmyra.
• Jessica Quimby, 44, of Palmyra, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, unlawful operation of a methamphetamine laboratory, endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of unlawful possession of a scheduled drug, Oct. 27, 2022, in Palmyra.
• Andrew N. Webber, 35, of Conway, New Hampshire, assault on an officer, domestic violence assault and refusing to submit to arrest, Oct. 31, 2022, in Smithfield.
• Anferny Diaz, 22, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, eluding an officer, criminal speed, refusing to submit to arrest, failure to stop for an officer and driving to endanger, Oct. 18, 2022, in Skowhegan.
• Matthew Winston Gordon, 34, of Skowhegan, theft by unauthorized taking, Nov. 5, 2022, in Skowhegan.
• Brendon J. Richardson, 30, of Bingham, operating an ATV under the influence, aggravated operating after habitual offender revocation, operating after revocation, criminal operating under the influence and endangering the welfare of a child, July 13, 2022, in Skowhegan.
• Michael E. Grant, 39, of Oakland, unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, July 15, 2022, in Fairfield.
• Michael Kilgore, 47, of East Newport, aggravated assault, assault on an officer, eluding an officer, driving to endanger, criminal speed, refusing to submit to arrest and failure to sign violation summons and complaint, Sept. 30, 2022, in Pittsfield.
• Joshua L. Vincent, 39, of Skowhegan, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, Oct. 18, 2022, in Skowhegan.
• Aaron A. Doiron, 50, of Skowhegan, theft of lost, mislaid or mistakenly delivered property, Aug. 4, 2022, in Norridgewock.
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