AUBURN – Two women whose Poland home was vandalized because they are lesbians are suing the insurance company of the parent of one of the vandals in an effort to collect damages.

Keri Fuchs and Linda Boutaugh, who moved to Medway, are seeking $47,250 from Northern Security Insurance Co. Inc. That company held the homeowners insurance policy for the mother of a 14-year-old boy implicated in the crime. The mother agreed to a settlement of $60,000 for the total amount of damages.

Because the parents of a 12-year-old and their insurance company agreed to pay $12,750 of the damages, the two women are suing Northern Security for the remainder.

The women sued the parents of the two juveniles last year in Androscoggin County Superior Court. Last week, they followed up with a lawsuit against the insurance company of the older boy.

Through their local attorney, Stephen Wade, the women argue that the insurance company of the boy’s mother should pay the damages the boy caused through the negligent supervision of her son.

An attorney for the insurance company, James Poliquin of Portland, responded to the suit this week, writing that the insurance policy excludes property damage resulting from intentional actions on the part of the people covered under the policy.

The two women, who have a “long-term, committed domestic partnership,” came home from a trip to northern Maine in July 2006 to find their mobile home on Downy Lane in shambles, court papers said.

Their rooms had been looted for valuables and a family urn was stolen. Windows were smashed, shelving and furniture destroyed and their belongings had been sprayed with a fire extinguisher, police said. The walls were defaced with anti-gay slurs and the vandals used the women’s art supplies to draw obscene graffiti.

Windows, including the windshield, four headlights and the taillights of a 1984 Pontiac Parisienne parked in the driveway were smashed.

The vandals also damaged two storage sheds located on the property, court papers said.


Copy the Story Link

Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.