An investigative journalist narrowly escaped a vehicular attack outside a methadone clinic in Maine. The journalist, Joe Sokol, was reporting on the clinic for the Maine Wire, an outlet that has received tips about the clinic's practices.
What happened
A driver confronted Sokol, claiming he was invading people's privacy, and then drove away. The driver returned seconds later and nearly ran over Sokol and his cameraman in an incident characterized as "attempted vehicular homicide." The entire interaction was caught on camera.
The Maine Wire Editor-in-Chief Steve Robinson stated that the driver may have been intoxicated and that Bangor police are investigating the incident. Robinson praised Sokol's quick thinking and training, which allowed him to preserve the license plate of the vehicle involved.
The methadone clinic has reportedly received roughly $25 million in taxpayer funding via Medicaid. The Maine Wire has been investigating the clinic and has reported on government waste, oversight failures, and enforcement crackdowns in Maine's Medicaid-funded programs.
This incident is the latest in a string of confrontations with Maine Wire reporters throughout 2026. The outlet has reported on local crime waves, substance use, and drug crises in cities like Bangor and Lewiston.