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UPDATE: arrest made in demolished Whitefield family farmstand

Wayne Mullens, who lives nearby, was arrested for allegedly destroying the farmstand with his front-end loader.

WHITEFIELD, Maine — A man who lived nearby has been arrested for allegedly destroying a family-owned farmstand with his front-end loader, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff's office. 

Deputies say on Thursday evening on March 4, Wayne Mullens was taken into custody in Gardiner with the help of the Kennebec County Sheriff's Office.

Mullens was taken to Two Bridges Jail in Wiscasset. Officials say his initial appearance in court is scheduled for March 25, 2021.

Lauren Pignatello, the owner of Swallowtail Creamery, was awoken in the middle of the night Thursday to a sound of crashing and crunching. She got to the window in time to see a tractor with a bucket loader driving away. She then discovered that her farmstand, which served as a primary source of income for her, her husband, and seven children, had been run over. Damages are estimated between $10,000-$15,000.

Credit: Lincoln County Sheriff's Office
Wayne Mullens has been arrested for allegedly destroying a family-owned farmstand with his front-end loader.
Credit: GoFundMe

“I was up most of the night with the police and feeling horrible that someone intentionally tried to destroy our livelihood," Pignatello said. “We have had our little farm stand up in front of our house for 12 years. It was self-service and honor system. We sell our eggs, dairy, herbal products, and sometimes meats and baked goods. Sometimes we’ve sold plants and flowers.” 

In speaking with NEWS CENTER Maine on Friday, Pignatello, who had had some time to process what happened, was still flabbergasted that someone would do this. But, she also felt that whoever did it must be troubled and angry. She called it a sad, random act of violence. But she also expressed gratitude for the incredible kindness of her neighbors and community. People have been dropping off cash, food, and grains to feed her cows. She says the outpouring of support has given her hope and reminds her that people are indeed good. 

“This past summer during the pandemic, we sold our neighbors vegetables and fruits and whole chickens. I’ve found great joy making things look nice and finding all of their thank you notes over the years. It truly saddens me that someone decided to drive their tractor here past midnight and ruin a large portion of how we make our business run and pay our bills. This winter, we made the decision due to the pandemic of not traveling to our winter market and focusing on our farm stand.” Police are investigating and Pignatello seemed to indicate the case would be resolved quickly.

 A Go-Find-Me page has been set up to help the family rebuild. Here is the link.

Any persons who may have seen this event are asked to contact the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 882-7332.

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