BREAKING NEWS: Second woman took out restraining order against marathon founder

MOUNT DESERT, Oct. 13, 2023 - A second woman on the island confirmed today she also took out a restraining order against MDI marathon founder Gary Allen, who was charged a week ago with violating a protection order against a Tremont woman.

The second woman, a resident of the town of Mount Desert, said her order from last year has expired but that she is considering seeking an extension after reading about Allen’s arrest. She asked that her name not be made public.

Her name was given to the QSJ by someone familiar with her situation after a long relationship with Allen.

Allen was charged Oct. 6, the day after the incident with the Tremont resident, according to Bar Harbor police officer Lukas Keene. Allen has a December court date at the Hancock County District Court in Ellsworth.

A spokesperson for the 20th running of the MDI Marathon Sunday said Allen’s arrest will not affect the race.

Efforts to reach Allen for comment through social media and acquaintances were unavailing.

Four women criticized the QSJ’s for “glorifying” Allen’s accomplishments in an article yesterday, including Patrisha McLean, founder of Finding Our Voices, an organization of survivors of domestic abuse. In January 2016, after an incident at their home in Camden, her husband Don McLean, the singer, was arrested and pleaded guilty to four charges including one of domestic assault.

One man from Northeast Harbor stated in an email that the QSJ should not have published the article at all.

Patrisha McLean said Allen’s accomplishments were irrelevant to the story.

“What's relevant here is that a well-known person on the island has violated a protection-from-abuse order.

“I have a personal perspective on this because my ex, of course, being Don McLean, and when they wrote about his domestic violence arrest, I didn't want to hear about a famous songwriter or any of his accomplishments. The story is about the domestic abuse.”

“This could be a really good opportunity to point out the stereotype that it happens in trailer parks, that it happens to people who are uneducated …

“Look around you, folks, like the person that you think could be the great guy, you know, maybe not.”

I was not able to convince her that I was attempting to do just that - perhaps clumsily.

Hancock County has a more favorable environment for domestic abuse victims under new District Attorney Robert Granger, who pledged in his campaign last year to give enforcement of domestic abuse cases high priority.

On the same day Allen was arrested, an Orland man was sentenced in Hancock County Superior Court to serve 22 years in prison for aggravated domestic violence assault. Jeffery Witham, 47, was convicted Aug. 16 after a jury trial.

“That was a huge sentence,” McLean said. “I’ve never heard of a sentence that long.”

McLean said the victim “was very pleased with the new district attorney, and I've heard other people say that there is a difference.”