Bangor, Maine— Reported by WABI, a man in Bangor, Maine, was taken into custody Wednesday after a bizarre incident involving him climbing onto a homeowner’s roof and refusing to come down.
According to Bangor Police, the situation unfolded early in the morning on 14th Street. The homeowner reported hearing noises on their roof around 4 a.m. Upon investigating, she and her boyfriend discovered a ladder against their home and a stranger on their roof, later identified as 39-year-old Stephen Nason.
When confronted, Nason reportedly yelled down to the residents that he was attempting to retrieve drugs from their chimney. Despite the homeowner not recognizing Nason, the situation quickly escalated. Bangor police and firefighters, along with crisis negotiators, arrived on the scene to try to safely resolve the situation.
As firefighters placed a rescue basket near the roof to provide water and assist Nason safely down, he unexpectedly jumped into the basket, grabbed an ax stored within, and leaped back onto the roof. He then began chopping holes into the roof, causing significant damage.
“He jumped from our roof to the basket, retrieved the ax, and then proceeded to chop holes in our roof,” said resident Peter Rairdon.
Bangor Fire Chief Geoffrey Low explained that the rescue basket was part of an effort to treat Nason with dignity and respect as a person experiencing a crisis. However, the unexpected turn of events was not something responders typically anticipate.
“We wouldn’t have expected that. It’s nothing we would pre-plan. We certainly don’t train for that. It happened. It was an unexpected consequence of trying to do something good for him,” Chief Low stated.
Sgt. Jason McAmbley of the Bangor Police described the lengthy standoff as unusual but emphasized that handling people in crisis is a regular part of police work.
“There is help for everyone out there, if they are willing to accept it. People can make bad decisions. We can’t make them accept assistance if they don’t want it,” McAmbley said.
The incident concluded around 11:30 a.m. when Nason surrendered and was taken into custody. He was transported to a local hospital for both physical and mental health evaluations.
Nason now faces charges including aggravated criminal mischief, creating a police standoff, and violating probation. He remains at Penobscot County Jail awaiting his first court appearance.
Assessing the Damage: What Happens When a Roof is Chopped With an Axe?
When a heavy object or bladed tool punctures a roofing system, the damage extends far beyond the surface layer of shingles. Direct chopping motion compromises the entire multi-layer assembly:
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Shingle & Underlayment Destruction: Asphalt shingles, synthetic underlayment, and ice/water shields rely on a continuous seal to shed water. Cleaving through these layers creates direct paths for heavy rainwater intrusion.
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Decking Penetration: An axe easily punctures through standard 1/2-inch or 5/8-inch OSB (Oriented Strand Board) or plywood roof sheathing. Splintered decking loses structural load capacity and must be cut back to the nearest rafters and replaced.
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Framing & Rafter Integrity: Deep blows can nick, score, or crack underlying rafters or trusses. If structural framing is notched or weakened, temporary shoring or sistering may be required to maintain structural support.
Emergency Response: Board-Up and Tarping Best Practices
In scenarios involving sudden penetrations or police standoffs, securing the structure against weather is the immediate priority:
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Safety First: Never step onto a roof with compromised decking or active structural damage without proper fall-protection tie-offs and a full assessment of deck stability.
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Sub-Deck Inspection: From the attic space, inspect for light pass-through, splintered wood, or compromised electrical wiring/HVAC lines that may run near the impact zone.
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Heavy-Duty Emergency Tarping: Cover the affected slope with a UV-resistant, heavy-duty tarp extending at least 2 feet beyond the damaged area on all sides and over the ridge line. Secure the edges using 1×2 wooden furring strips nailed directly over the tarp edges to prevent wind uplift.
Navigating Insurance Claims for Vandalism & Malicious Mischief
Property owners facing damage from unusual criminal events should know how standard insurance policy coverage applies:
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Vandalism & Malicious Mischief Coverage: Most standard HO-3 homeowners insurance policies cover intentional damage caused by third parties, subject to the policy deductible.
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Document Everything: Before placing temporary tarps or performing emergency board-ups, photograph and video the damage from multiple angles—both from the exterior and inside the attic space—for the insurance adjuster’s report.
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Emergency Mitigation Costs: Keep detailed receipts for all emergency tarping, temporary repairs, and board-up labor. Insurance policies typically require homeowners to mitigate secondary water damage, and these costs are usually reimbursable under the claim.
