A long-running neighbor dispute in rural Maine took a shocking turn when a couple returned to find their once-cherished home torn apart by a massive claw-equipped logging machine.
Gary Belanger, 63, has been accused of using a grapple skidder — a rugged four-wheel forestry vehicle fitted with a hydraulic claw used to lift and haul logs — to rip through Carla and Peter Beaupre’s property in Portage Lake on Saturday.
“Every time I see it, I cry,” Peter told the Bangor Daily News. “I’m a grown-a** man, and I cry.”
According to the Beaupres, the conflict began over what seemed like a straightforward disagreement: they would not allow Belanger to move cut logs from a neighboring property along an access road that crossed their land.
What started as a property access dispute later escalated, with tensions rising enough that Belanger was eventually served with a restraining order.
At the time of the alleged destruction, Belanger was already out on bail and facing misdemeanor charges connected to two earlier incidents involving the Beaupres, who discovered the damage after coming back home.
Authorities allege the heavy logging equipment was used not only to damage the couple’s house, but also to destroy a shed and a truck on the property.
When police arrived, Belanger was standing on top of the skidder and was described by officers as “having hallucinations” while “maliciously destroying” the property, according to the Bangor Daily News.
Carla and Peter Beaupre’s home in Portage Lake was allegedly destroyed by Gary Belanger, 63, on Saturday with a grapple skidder
The Beaupres said the squabble originated from when the couple had refused to allow Belanger to carry logs through an access road on their property
Belanger was also accused of damaging a 500-gallon propane tank at the couple’s home.
That resulted in a leak that trapped the family’s two dogs inside the home for hours.
However, the dogs were not injured, according to WMTW.
He has been charged with aggravated criminal mischief, criminal trespass and violating conditions of release.
Belanger is being held in Aroostook County Jail on $10,000 bail. Prosecutors had recommended that to be set at $50,000, according to the outlet.
Peter added that ‘the system [was] not protecting the victims,’ as his wife Carla called for ‘justice.’
A witness to the destruction, Abraham Nelson, said that the ‘most unsettling part’ of Belanger’s alleged crime was ‘just the non-responsive nature that he had.’
The frustrated couple have claimed that the legal system failed them, with Carla saying that Belanger ‘did exactly what he said he was going to do’
The Beaupres claimed that Belanger had previously threatened to run his skidder ‘through’ their home in mid-July
‘He didn’t seem like he was angry or he wasn’t acting in a way that made it seem like his blood was hot,’ Nelson told the Bangor Daily News. ‘It was almost the opposite.’
Nelson called police when he saw what was happening as he returned from a canoe trip to nearby Allagash.
Belanger had previously threatened to run his skidder ‘through’ the Beaupres’ home, according to the couple.
That happened in mid-July, when they said Belanger had appeared at their home in the middle of the night with a flashlight.
Peter confronted him later that day, which eventually resulted in Belanger being arrested by the Maine State Police.
He was charged at the time with criminal threatening, disorderly conduct and violating conditions of release – roughly one month before his alleged destruction of the Beaupres’ home.
‘We told them what he said, and he did exactly what he said he was going to do,’ Carla said. ‘The system failed us.’
Carla added that she thought she was having a heart attack upon seeing her wrecked home.
The Beaupres will be staying with neighbors for now, but plan to rebuild their insured home in the future
Belanger’s wife, Lori Belanger, said that she was ‘truly sorry’ for her husband’s conduct, according to the Bangor Daily News.
She told the outlet that her husband ‘flipped’ due to ‘continual harassment and false claims,’ which included Peter allegedly sabotaging his equipment.
‘No one deserves to have their home destroyed, especially with the cost of living these days,’ Lori said. ‘I wouldn’t wish something like that on anyone.’
She continued: ‘That being said, it is also not right for a human being to continually be harassed by another person to the point of breakdown.’
Lori also claimed that her husband had received ‘some really bad medical news that he has to deal with.’
‘You put everything together and as a result, my husband snapped,’ she told the outlet.
The Beaupres have denied her claims. They will be staying with neighbors for now, as they make plans to rebuild the home, which is insured.
Meanwhile, Belanger is currently on 24/7 house arrest, and he must wear a GPS ankle monitor.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Emily Genzlinger, the public defender representing Belanger, for comment.
