York Town News
Local businessman shot, teen slashed in separate incidents last week
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK BEACH - In the past week, the York Police Department has responded to an array of criminal activities, including separate assault cases involving the shooting of a local business man and a knife attack on a teenager.The first case occurred last Tuesday night, Jan. 16, when a cellular phone call to 911 reporting a shooting was routed to the Maine State Police. As it turned out, York Police Sgt. Brian Curtin explained in his report on the incident, the victim was Patrick Simpson, 39, of 75 York St., who was in the York Police Department's parking lot when he made the call.
State police contacted York police immediately, and local officers found Simpson on the front walkway of the station. He had suffered a single gunshot wound to the abdomen.
"Officers rendered aid to Simpson while others searched the area for a possible suspect," Curtin said in his report.
Once they determined the area was safe, York Beach Fire Department and York Ambulance Association personnel transported Simpson to York Hospital, where he was stabilized and then transferred to Maine Medical Center in Portland.
Simpson told police he was shot while checking his restaurant, Gabby Sullivan's, and the adjacent Shelton's Gift Shop, located in the Kearsarge House in York Beach.
Police also investigated the scene of both locations and, while checking the businesses, officers smelled smoke, Curtin noted, discovering a small fire.
The York Beach Fire Department responded and quickly doused the blaze, according to police reports, and the damage was minimal. The fire, however, was deemed to be suspicious, and the Maine State Fire Marshal has been asked to assist with the investigation.
"We've started from ground zero," York Police Chief Douglas Bracy said of the case, explaining that Simpson's hospitalization in Portland delayed the opportunity for full interviews with police.
Following Simpson's release, that portion of the investigative process was able to move forward, Bracy said, adding it is good news that Simpson was not more seriously injured.
"We have been able to interview him now that he's out of the hospital," Bracy said Monday, adding that the York Police Department is looking into all possibilities including anyone Simpson has had associations with on a personal or professional basis.
In addition, Bracy said, the Maine State Fire Marshal has committed an investigator to the fire case, while York Police Capt. Kevin LeConte is heading up the local investigation. Evidence collected at Simpson's businesses has been sent to the state for analysis.
"It's going to take time," Bracy said, adding police have no information to report on a suspect at this time. "We have to do a methodical job of hunting down every tip and lead to point us in the direction of who did this."
As the Simpson shooting case was unfolding, police received a second call for an unrelated assault incident shortly before 3 a.m. on Wednesday morning - a mere few hours later.
According to police reports, a call came in at 2:43 a.m. reporting a family fight at 12 Garrison Ave. in York Beach.
"The caller initially hung up; however, the dispatcher was able to call the residence back and obtain more information," York Ptl. Luke Ernenwein said in his report on the incident.
Arriving at the scene, officers identified the 19-year-old victim as Tyler J. Bolduc.
Bolduc, a resident of the Garrison Avenue home, had been slashed with a razor knife, according to police reports. Bolduc was treated at York Hospital for his injuries and released.
Outside the residence, officers found Gordon W. Powell, 40, also of 12 Garrison Avenue. Powell was subsequently charged with aggravated assault and transported to York County Jail.
"The aggravated assault is a Class B felony and we will be presenting this to a grand jury when the next one sits," Bracy said.
Bracy confirmed Powell appeared in Biddeford District Court on Friday and was denied bail. Another bail hearing may be scheduled, he said, and an arraignment on the assault charge is set for April.
Two other criminal cases occurred within the days that followed.
Also on Wednesday, a 14-year-old York boy was charged with unlawful sexual contact at York High School. According to police reports, the juvenile allegedly groped a female student's body and is facing a court appearance at York District Court on March 5.
Then, on Friday, local police received a report of a burglary at the Stop-n-Go Video, located in the Long Sands Plaza. According to police reports, the front door was smashed and the cash register ransacked.
Damage to the door has been estimated at $471. Items taken from the store include $600 in cash, a safe valued at $170 and lottery tickets totaling $1,900.
Investigations are continuing in each of the cases. Anyone with information may call the York Police Department at 363-4444.
