A 44-year-old Bangor woman was arrested Monday after holing up inside a McDonald's bathroom in Portland for nearly 30 minutes, telling emergency personnel she had a gun before officers fired pepperball rounds to end the standoff. No weapon was ever found at the scene.
Emergency medical personnel responded to the McDonald's at 332 St. John St. at about 11:22 a.m. Monday after a report that a woman inside the bathroom was allegedly using drugs and requesting medical help, according to WMTW. The woman, identified as Erin Baker, told the responding emergency workers that she had a gun, police said. That claim prompted Portland police to begin negotiating with Baker as she remained barricaded inside the restroom.
The standoff stretched on for close to half an hour before officers deployed pepperball rounds into the bathroom, at which point Baker came out and was taken into custody without further incident, per the same report. Police said afterward that no firearm was recovered from the scene, despite Baker's earlier claim. She was then transported to the Cumberland County Jail following her arrest, as Newsradio WGAN also reported.
Charges Stack Up Under Maine Law
Baker now faces four charges: creating a police standoff, terrorizing, refusing to submit and criminal trespass, according to the station's report. Under Maine law, creating a police standoff is classified as a Class E crime, according to the Maine Legislature. The refusing-to-submit charge falls under the state's statute titled Refusing to Submit to Arrest or Detention, as outlined in Maine law.
Maine's terrorizing statute applies when a person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly communicates a threat to commit or cause a crime of violence dangerous to life, bodily injury or substantial property damage, per the state legislature's language on the offense.
Investigation Continues
Portland police have asked anyone with information that could assist the investigation to call 207-874-8575 or text the keyword PPDME along with their message to 847411. No additional details about Baker's court appearance, bail status or legal representation were available as of Monday.
