HOLDEN, Maine — A 15-year-old local boy was arrested Thursday after reportedly refusing to allow police to pat him down.

The boy was riding his bike around 1:30 a.m. Thursday on Route 1A near the Holden-Brewer line when he came to the attention of Officer Chris Greeley of the Holden Police Department, who was speaking with a Brewer officer also in the area.





Greeley said the bicycle did not have a headlight, which is required when operating after dark. He also said a burglary was reported recently at a nearby Holden business, and he was aware of reports of similar attempted burglaries nearby in Brewer, so he decided to stop the bicyclist.

Greeley said he smelled marijuana as he approached the teen, who he described as uncooperative.

“He wasn’t real excited about speaking with me,” Greeley said.

Greeley said he told the teen that he wanted to pat him down for drugs or any weapons but the teen recoiled and said he didn’t consent to a search.

The officer reiterated his right to search the teen and took him by the arm to begin the pat-down, but the boy reportedly pulled away.

Officer Jeff Gotreau, the Brewer officer who previously had been speaking with Greeley, arrived and helped Greeley handcuff the teenager so Greeley could conduct the pat-down. Greeley said he did find marijuana in the boy’s possession.

The teenager was arrested and taken to the Holden Police Department for refusing to submit to arrest or detention, possession of marijuana and inadequate headlamps.

He was released to the custody of his father and will appear in court in August.