AUGUSTA, Maine — A suspect in connection with a death investigation in Knox County is accused of leading police on a chase Tuesday that turned into a four-hour standoff in Augusta. That person has been taken into custody and faces several charges relating to the incident on Route 3 as well as the death of a man in Cushing over the weekend.
Jason Hewett, 39, of Augusta has been charged with eluding an officer, domestic assault, and manslaughter, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss said Wednesday in a news release.
The police pursuit began around 2 p.m. Tuesday on Route 32 in Windsor. Hewett, who was driving north toward China, took Route 3 toward Augusta and, in an effort to avoid spike mats, drove into a ditch and onto the lawn of Nadeau Chiropractic and Wellness Center, Moss said.
Police said Hewett then barricaded himself inside his vehicle, prompting a response from the Maine State Police tactical and crisis negotiation teams. After four hours of negotiations, Hewett surrendered and was arrested without incident, according to the release.
Hewett has been named as a suspect in connection with the death investigation of a man in Cushing over the weekend. On Wednesday, Moss publicly identified the man who died as Kyle MacDougall, 45, of Waldoboro, adding his cause and manner of death would not be released at this time.
Hewett's arrest is the second one publicly announced by state officials in connection with the death investigation.
Maine State Police detectives and evidence response technicians responded to a residence on River Road in Cushing on Friday and Saturday to conduct interviews and process the scene, which led to the arrest of 41-year-old Mark Gagne of Cushing on Friday.
Gagne has been charged with hindering apprehension and abuse of a corpse, Moss said.
Hewett was taken to the Kennebec County Correctional Facility.
The Kennebec County Sheriff's Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency assisted Maine State Police during Tuesday's incident.