A freshman was kicked out of campus housing after a confrontation with USM Police that ended in an eventful ride to county jail.
Adam M. Beal, 19, was arrested on Feb. 15 and charged with assault, disorderly conduct, criminal threatening, criminal mischief and attempted escape. USM Police Detective Ron Saindon said alcohol was a factor.
According to Saindon, the events unfolded as follows.
Two USM Police officers showed up at Beal’s dorm room, 205 Wood Hall, just before midnight to ask him to move his illegally parked vehicle. The situation escalated quickly.
“He was being loud and disorderly. Aggressive,” said Saindon.
Beal exchanged words with Officer Ben Moreland and pushed him, resulting in the assault charge. Beal also approached the other officer, Sgt. Tim Farr, in a threatening manner with his hand raised, which prompted the criminal threatening charge.
“He came at him and his hand was up,” said Saindon. “He was going into Sgt. Farr’s face.”
Beal was arrested and brought to the department’s vehicle for transport to county jail. While en route and handcuffed, near the Pine Tree Shopping Center on Brighton Avenue in Portland, Beal managed to move into a position where he kicked out the rear passenger window.
As Beal attempted to crawl out the window, Officer Moreland took a sharp right hand turn into the shopping center parking lot. The force of the turn threw Beal, already partially out of the window, back into the vehicle.
Moreland called for assistance from Portland Police, who responded with two officers and finished transporting Beal to Cumberland County Jail. Moreland and Farr pinned Beal down in the back seat while they waited.
Beal spent the night at the jail and was released the following morning.
A call placed through a University dispatcher to Beal’s room on Friday morning was answered by his roommate, sophomore Michael O’Leary, who said Beal was ordered to leave campus housing and had moved out three days earlier. O’Leary said Beal decided to withdraw from school until next year.
A check with the Registrar’s Office on Friday afternoon indicated that Beal was still listed as enrolled and living on-campus.
O’Leary also said Beal disputed whether or not his car was parked illegally. When a dispatcher called Beal to inform him about his car, O’Leary said, Beal was argumentative, prompting the dispatcher to send officers to his dorm room.
Saindon could not be reached for comment on Friday afternoon for additional details.
Beal is scheduled to answer his charges in district court on March 15.
Staff writer Chris Baker can be contacted at: Cbaker@[email protected].