Armed Vinalhaven residents reportedly blocked driveway with felled tree to force quarantine

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a report of several armed people cutting down a tree Friday across a driveway to force someone to quarantine because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Shortly after 3:30 p.m. Friday, a person contacted the U.S. Coast Guard asking for assistance in the area of Cripple Creek Road, the sheriff’s office said. The caller said several people with guns had cut down a tree and were telling other people to stay quarantined.

Someone with a scanner heard the report and called the Knox Regional Communications Center.

Deputies, along with members of the Maine Marine Patrol and a Coast Guard boarding party, made contact with the complainant and found that a tree had been cut down and dragged into a driveway to block access to the road.

The group had dispersed prior to the arrival of authorities.

The incident is under investigation and anyone with information should contact Lt. Reggie Walker at 207-594-0429, ext. 720.

The sheriff’s department said in a news release that the events appear to be directed toward specific individuals and that there was no specific threat to the general public.

Several towns have asked seasonal residents and visitors to self quarantine and advised people to remain in their home states to reduce the spread of the virus and so local local health care systems aren’t overrun.