State Police say a Mount Vernon man stole a snowmobile in an attempt to evade arrest.

The incident began just before 3:00 Wednesday afternoon when Trooper Travis Luce located and stopped a vehicle on the Bean Road in Mount Vernon. He intended to arrest one of the occupants of the vehicle for two active criminal arrest warrants, when 30-year-old Caleb Hupper jumped out of the vehicle and ran away. A foot chase ensued through the woods and onto a snowmobile trail, where Hupper stole a snowmobile and took off.

Trooper Hunter Belanger and K9 Dallas caught up to Hupper shortly before 5:00 p.m. on a snowmobile trail near Maranacook Community School in Readfield, which is about 7 miles from where the chase began. School officials were made aware of the incident and advised to take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of anyone on school grounds.

Hupper was arrested on active criminal warrants, including one for violating conditions of release, stemming from charges of operating after habitual offender status, driving to endanger, and failing to notify of a motor vehicle accident. The second warrant was for charges of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer of property, failing to submit to arrest or detention, and violating conditions of release. He now faces additional criminal charges for eluding, failing to stop, failing to submit to arrest or detention, theft by unauthorized taking or transfer of property, and additional Title 12 violations. Hupper was taken to the Kennebec County Jail, without injury or further incident.

State Police were assisted in their search for Caleb Hupper by the Maine Warden Service, Maine Fire Marshal's Office, Maine Forest Service Airwing, and the Winthrop Police Department.

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