Juvenile Charged After Southern Aroostook Community School Goes Into Lockdown

Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a 911 call from a residence in Oakfield shortly before 10:00 a.m.Friday. The caller reported that a 16-year-old girl was out of control, had assaulted a family member and attempted to steal a car.

When the first Deputy Sheriff arrived at the Thompson Settlement Road, just five minutes after the call came in, the juvenile had already fled on foot. The Deputy was told that the juvenile was in possession of a knife and had threatened to kill a teacher, said Sheriff Darrell Crandall from the Aroostook County Sheriff's Office.

Given the nature of the threat, Deputy Sheriffs immediately notified Southern Aroostook Community School a short distance away in Dyer Brook and the school instituted their lock-down procedures.

Deputies requested a tracking dog from the State Police and a Trooper and K-9 responded. The Deputy and Trooper followed the K-9 away from the residence into a wooded area, eventually looping back closer to the residence where the incident began.

The juvenile was found  hiding next to a shed and she briefly tried to flee on foot. The juvenile was non-compliant and actively resisted the officers during her arrest. Six Deputy Sheriffs responded to the Oakfield area as this situation was playing out, two of which were sent to the school just as a precaution, said Crandall.

The school was in lock-down for a little over an hour until they were notified the girl was in custody. Crandall said the juvenile was transported to the Aroostook County Jail where she assaulted three corrections officers during the transfer of custody. None of them were injured.

The girl was promptly transported to a state facility designated for juveniles. Deputy Sheriffs were later able to recover the knife a short distance from where the girl had been taken into custody.

The juvenile, whose name is not going to be released, is charged with Terrorizing (Class C), Refusing to Submit to Arrest (Class D) and Assault on an Officer (Class C). The criminal investigation is continuing, and additional charges are likely, Sheriff Crandall said.