Maine Sexual Assault Suspect Died in a Crash During Police Chase

A Maine man died in a crash as he fled from police during an investigation into a sexual assault.

A Resident of Strong Died in a Crash in Farmington

Maine State Police say Joshua Burdin, 32, of Strong, died Monday evening in a crash on South Strong Road in Farmington.

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Officials Say the Man Was Suspected in a Sexual Assault

Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss says the incident began at approximately 5:00 Monday evening when Deputies from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office were called to a home in the town of Strong to investigate the sexual assault of a child. Joshua Burdin was immediately identified as a suspect and Deputies learned that he had fled the residence before they arrived at the scene.

Just over an hour later, a Franklin County Sheriff's Deputy found Burdin driving a Subaru Impreza in Strong and tried to get him to pull over. Burdin refused to stop and led Deputies on a low-speed chase through Strong and into Farmington on the South Strong Road. Officers with the Farmington Police Department deployed spike strips but, when the car's front tires were spiked, Burdin accelerated at a high rate of speed and struck a tree head-on. He died at the scene.

Maine State Police are Investigating the Crash

Burdin's body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta where an autopsy will be performed. Maine State Police were called to the crash, which remains under investigation.