Chase and standoff in Augusta lead to arrest in Cushing death investigation – NECN

Authorities said they arrested a suspect in the investigation into a death in Cushing, Maine, on Tuesday following a police chase and four-hour standoff.

At around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Maine State Police said they were involved in a chase on Route 32 in Windsor.

The driver of the vehicle, 39-year-old Jason Hewett of Augusta, was traveling north on Route 32 toward China, then took Route 3 toward Augusta, then drove into a ditch and onto the lawn of the Nadeau Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Augusta to avoid spike mats laid out on the road. Hewett then barricaded himself in his vehicle.

A state police tactical and crisis negotiation team responded, and after four hours of negotiations, Hewett surrendered to police and was arrested without further incident. He was taken to the Kennebec County Correctional Facility in Augusta. Details of bail or court proceedings were not immediately released.

Hewett is charged with fleeing from a police officer, domestic violence and manslaughter. Police said he is a suspect in an ongoing death investigation in Cushing that was first reported on Friday.

State police said they went to a residence on River Road in Cushing on Friday to investigate a death and continued to collect evidence and conduct interviews through Saturday. Another man, 41-year-old Mark Gagne of Cushing, was arrested earlier and charged with hindering apprehension and desecration of a corpse.

Cushing, a city of about 1,500 residents, is located in Knox County, south of Camden and Rockland. It is about 40 minutes from Augusta.

The identity of the victim in the death investigation has yet to be publicly released, pending an autopsy and notification of family members.