Man who tried to run down Maine Wire journalist admits he targeted him to stop his reporting on addicts

Joe Sokol had been reporting on public property across the street from the Bangor Comprehensive Treatment Center when he was confronted by a man in his car, who was seen in surveillance camera footage moments later driving onto the grass and toward Sokol.

Robinson said the man who owns the car seen in the video is Ryan Hayward. The man called Robinson, with the two speaking for several minutes before Hayward hung up after realizing that the person on the other end of the line wasn’t a police officer, but a reporter.

The man, who identified himself as Ryan, said it was a “crock of sh*t” to say that he tried to run Sokol over. He said he is a patient at the center, was not intoxicated at the time of the incident, and had been on his way to get methadone at the center.

He claimed he was “polite” while talking to Sokol, saying the reporter was “just looking down on people.” He said Sokol has “got no right” to film outside the clinic.

When asked why he drove off the road, he replied, “Well, that’s a good question. He just kind of fired me up, so, I don’t know. No good reason, really.” He said that Sokol “disrespected me,” adding, “I mean, I’m not gonna try and run someone over.”

He said he recognized Sokol from other reporting the journalist had done. When asked what about his previous reporting had upset him, the man replied, “just the way he talks, like, bad about addicts and stuff. Not everyone — you know, a lot of people get clean.”

Robinson asked where the man got his drugs, to which the man replied, “I’m not answering that.” He added, “am I under arrest, sir?”

Robinson replied, “You called me, I’m just a reporter.” The man realized that it wasn't the police he was talking with and hung up.

Sokol was able to jump out of the way of the man during the incident, and received no injuries. Bangor police are investigating the incident.