UPDATE/ROCKLAND (MAY 15) — A young adult male from Lewiston remains in the Knox County Jail after he was arrested April 30 for an alleged carjacking attempt in Thomaston.

Abdi Ibrahim, 19, was charged by Thomaston Police with theft, aggravated reckless conduct, and unlawful possession of a scheduled drug. 

Ibrahim made his initial appearance May 1 in Knox County Unified Court where his bail was set at $10,000 cash. 

According to the affidavit filed in court by Thomaston Police officer Noah Stevens, the drug found in Ibrahim’s possession was cocaine, a schedule W drug. He told police that the drug, which was hidden in his sock, “was for his own personal use.” An agent from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) was called to the scene to confirm the type of drug in his possession. 

After Ibrahim was arrested, he was transported to jail by Sgt. Arthur Smith of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.

Attorney Roger Hurley of Camden has been appointed as his court appointed attorney.

Ibrahim will appear in court again June 25 for a dispositional conference where the defense, prosecutor and judge will meet to discuss the merits of evidence, defense and any pretrial motions.

THOMASTON — An alleged carjacking attempt in Thomaston, Thursday afternoon, April 30, ended with the arrest of one young adult male, and court summons for three juveniles. No injuries occurred, and everyone is safe.

Just prior to 5 p.m., a 7-year-old boy sat in a vehicle in the parking lot of Tractor Supply Company while his mother and sister shopped inside the store.

According to Thomaston Police Chief Tim Hoppe, a witness was sitting in another vehicle while the witness’s husband also shopped. As she watched, a possible drug transaction appeared to be occurring in the parking lot, said Hoppe. The suspects allegedly eyeballed the vehicle occupied by the boy.

Those assailants, a 19-year-old male from Lewiston, a male juvenile from Lewiston, and two local female juveniles, then jumped into the vehicle. The 7-year-old exited the vehicle, though Hoppe does not know whether the boy jumped or was pushed out.

Meanwhile, according to Hoppe, the witness texted her husband to tell him to leave the store immediately due to the activity in the parking lot.

The assailants began to drive away, but stopped and exited the vehicle when the man exiting the store started yelling at them; he then began chasing them on foot towards Walmart.

One of the juvenile females fell, at which point, the man giving chase stopped and, according to Hoppe, said to her, “this isn’t your car, is it?” The female said no.

At that point, the adult assailant started running back, stopped about 10 feet from the other man, and allegedly brandished a knife and threatened the man. According to Hoppe, a couple of days earlier, the Lewiston Police Department had issued a warrant on the assailant for Elevated Aggravated Assault for stabbing.

The four assailants ran off, but the pursuit had already begun as Thomaston’s on-duty police officer, four Rockland police officers, and a Knox County Sheriff’s deputy drove toward the Route 1 vicinity where the assailants were last seen.

One of the responding officers, Rockland Police Chief Chris Young, happened to conduct his search near businesses at the rear entrance to Walmart. It was there, behind the RSU 13 Bus Barn, that he spotted one of the four.

Young held the perpetrator at gunpoint, and in the process, ended up single-handedly detaining all four suspects, according to Hoppe.

“Kudos to the Chief,” said Hoppe. “He’s still got it in him.”

Because of the number of people involved, Thomaston’s police station was deemed too small for this incident, therefore, RPD opened its interview room.

“The Rockland Police Department was extremely helpful in all of this,” said Hoppe.

The juvenile male was already on probation. He had to wait for his grandmother to come from Lewiston to pick him up, Hoppe said.

The two female juveniles were picked up by a local parent, he said.

All have been issued summons for crimes.

This article will be updated as information becomes available.

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com