SOLON — Skowhegan-area schools were put on lockdown Friday morning while the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office searched for a man who made a murder-suicide threat against an ex-partner.

Timothy Stevens Photo courtesty of Somerset County Jail

Timothy Stevens, 34, of Moscow, was arrested at around 9 a.m. on charges of domestic violence criminal threatening, a Class C felony with a maximum penalty of five years in jail and a $5,000 fine. Stevens, who was out on bail on unrelated charges, was also charged with felony violation of his conditions of release.

Mike Mitchell, the chief deputy of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office, said there was no direct threat made against the schools in RSU/MSAD 54, but the sheriff’s office notified district leadership out of caution while they were searching for Stevens this morning.

Stevens allegedly made a murder-suicide threat against his former romantic partner through a family member, Mitchell said. The ex-partner, whom Mitchell said he could not publicly identify, called in the threat just after 5 a.m.

The lockdown was lifted and activities returned to normal at around 9:30 a.m., shortly after Sgt. Ritchie Putnam arrested Stevens at a residence in Solon.

New Balance facilities in Norridgewock were also put on lockdown for a short period Friday morning, Mitchell said, after the sheriff’s office notified managers of the ongoing search.