News

Maine Woman Sentenced to Nine Months for Driving at U.S. Border Patrol Agent

Photo: 560 WGAN Newsradio


A 24-year-old woman who drove her car at a U.S. Border Patrol agent will spend nine months in prison after being sentenced in federal court in Portland Monday.

Olivia Wilkins of Thomaston pleaded guilty in March to assaulting a U.S. Border Patrol agent engaged in official duties, and could have spent up to 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors say Wilkins drove at a border patrol agent who was taking a person into custody at a crash scene in Washington, Maine, and then left the scene.

They say Wilkins came upon the scene and parked close to officers, voiced concerns about Border Patrol’s presence, but was allowed to observe the activity from further away.

Prosecutors say Wilkins then quickly accelerated toward the agent who had taken the person into custody, who pulled the individual off the roadside away from the oncoming vehicle.

They say Wilkins stopped her car short of hitting the agent or the individual in custody before swerving back into the lane of travel and fleeing the scene.

She was tracked down and arrested a short time later.

No one was injured in the incident, but the judge imposing the sentence told Wilkins she was lucky an agent who understandably pointed a gun at her car had not fired the weapon.

Prosecutors say the FBI investigated the case.

Recent Headlines

15 hours ago in Entertainment

Ben Jones, good ol’ boy ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ actor and 2-term US House member, dies at 84

Ben Jones, who played the good ol' boy mechanic in "The Dukes of Hazzard" TV series and parlayed his fame into a political career and two terms in the U.S. House, has died. He was 84.

15 hours ago in Entertainment

Blink-182’s Travis Barker almost died. A new documentary celebrates his life before and after

The inferno rages onscreen three minutes into " Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear." Dashcam footage lifted from a police car shows the blaze: It's 2008, and Barker has survived a plane crash in South Carolina. Four others did not.

21 hours ago in National, Trending

How to spot the Perseid meteor shower, a summer light show that promises to dazzle

The Perseid summer light show is back — and viewing conditions are especially promising for the Northern Hemisphere. The meteor shower's peak Wednesday night into Thursday morning coincides with a total solar eclipse across Spain, Iceland and Greenland and a six-planet parade — though the best time to view the fireballs will come after totality.

21 hours ago in Entertainment

Amanda Knox defends her comedy show at Edinburgh festival as honoring her murdered former roommate

Amanda Knox, the American student convicted and later acquitted of the murder and sexual assault of her British roommate Meredith Kercher 19 years ago in Italy, is defending herself against accusations from Kercher's sister that her comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe festival in Scotland trivializes violence against women.

22 hours ago in Lifestyle

With the right preparation, international trips with babies are possible and even fun

Traveling with babies and toddlers can be daunting for parents. Questions about air travel, what to pack and safety are often top of mind, especially on long-distance flights and international trips.