Drugs, alcohol and health contributed to Saco men’s deaths

A father and son from Saco died of a combination of recent drug and alcohol use and underlying health conditions, according to the state medical examiner’s office.

Jim Ferland, administrator for the medical examiner’s office, said autopsy results show Andrew Giroux, 49, and his son, Dustin Giroux, 25, had recently used cocaine, painkillers and alcohol. The substances contributed to their deaths, along with underlying health conditions that included cardiovascular disease, he said.

The two men died within hours of each other Aug. 1 while at Andrew Giroux’s hunting camp in the central Maine town of Sangerville. Andrew Giroux was found dead outside of the cabin and Dustin Giroux was found sick inside and could not be revived. The men had gathered with others to celebrate Dustin Giroux’s upcoming wedding.

Steve McCausland, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman, said police continue to investigate the cocaine aspect of the medical examiner’s findings. 

Man indicted for

fatal car accident

A Hollis man has been indicted for manslaughter for an Aug. 15 car accident that killed his passenger.

Scott Daniels, 28, pleaded not guilty last week to charges of manslaughter and operating under the influence. Daniels was allegedly driving with a blood alcohol content higher than .08, according to court records. 

The crash was reported at 1:50 a.m. Aug. 15 near the Saco exit of the Maine Turnpike, according to police. Leisha Tarbox, 27, of Falmouth, was ejected from the car and died. Police said Daniels’ 1991 Volkswagen Jetta was going too fast as it approached the exit and rolled over onto the turnpike. Daniels had minor injuries.

Daniels was released on $40,000 secured bail and is prohibited from driving a car and possessing or consuming alcohol. His bail conditions were amended to prohibit contact with 13 people after Daniels allegedly tried to contact Tarbox’s family and potential witnesses, according to court documents.

Woman faces charges tied to fake names

An Old Orchard Beach woman was indicted on 13 charges after allegedly failing to tell police her sons provided false names on police documents.

Charges against 45-year-old Louise M. Cook include aggravated forgery, unsworn falsification and hindering prosecution. Old Orchard Beach Detective Brady Coulombe said Cook allegedly signed summons given to her two juvenile sons even though they had given police false names.

Coulombe said Cook and her family recently moved to Old Orchard Beach from Florida and the two sons got in trouble with police a number of times during a 30-day period in August. The boys were issued summonses for charges including possession of alcohol and assault, Coulombe said.

Whenever a juvenile is issued a summons, a parent or guardian also must sign the document. Each time Cook signed a summons on which her sons had falsified information she was committing a crime, Coulombe said.

OOB joins seatbelt campaign

The Old Orchard Beach Police Department is participating in the 2010 Thanksgiving Click It or Ticket enforcement campaign through Nov. 28.

Deputy Police Chief Keith Babin said police will be out in force to send a message that drivers and passengers need to buckle their seatbelts.

Pirates discuss move south

Portland Pirates Managing Owner and CEO Brian Petrovek said he has had discussions with city officials and Biddeford Downs developers about potentially moving the team to Biddeford.

Petrovek said the team has a year and a half left on its lease with the Cumberland County Civic Center and his primary objective is staying in Portland.

“We are in a position now where we are obviously focused on a renovation of the Cumberland County Civic Center,” Petrovek said.

Petrovek said he has talked to officials from Biddeford and Saco, as well as a developer from the Portland-Westbrook area in case the team is not able to stay in Portland. Those discussions have taken place recently and over the past seven or eight years, he said.

The Portland Pirates, an American Hockey League team founded in 1993, is the Buffalo Sabres’ top farm team.

– Compiled by Staff Writer Gillian Graham