Bomb threat closes Dyer Brook school

By Karen Donato
Staff Writer
     Classes were cancelled at the Southern Aroostook Community School in Dyer Brook on March 17th. The cancellation was due to a message found scribbled on a filing cabinet with a marker on Friday, March 13 at the school. The message regarding a bomb was found by a student and reported to a faculty member and then to the superintendent’s office. The note indicated that a bomb would go off on Tuesday.
    Superintendent Terry Comeau contacted the Maine State Police and they in turn brought in personnel trained in explosives and a bomb-sniffing dog. All classes were cancelled on the 17th for precautionary measures and officials conducted the search. Nothing was found, but investigators do have some leads and evidence according to Maine State Trooper, Timmy Saucier.
     Comeau said, “I am confident that the perpetrator will be identified. If so, the individual or individuals will be expelled and will face additional charges.”
    Acording to Saucier “anyone causing the evacuation of a building, threatening to do bodily harm by an explosive could be charged with a Class D misdemeanor.” This might result in a fine and jail time up to one year. The charges will also depend on the age of the individual. Anyone under 18 will be charged as a juvenile and could be fined and or be sentenced to the Youth Center in Charleston, anyone 18 years old or older may face a fine and or prison time. The charge would also be raised to that of a felony.
    The loss of a day of school means a make-up day will be added to the end of the school year in June.  Comeau said that another bomb threat had happened earlier in the year and resulted in the expulsion of a high school student.
    “Fortunately,” said Comeau, “with that one we did not need to evacuate the building and found the individual that was involved quickly.”
    Comeau added, “The faculty and staff are very proud of their students and this is just an unfortunate situation that has brought negative attention to our school. The actions of this individual or individuals do not represent the majority of the students.”