Police Pursuit Stretches From Northport To Blue Hill
A 71-year-old Camden man faces charges after leading police on a long chase that started in Northport and ended in Blue Hill.
Waldo County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Jason Trundy said in a media release that the incident started at around 8:00 Saturday morning when the sheriff's office was notified that Knox County law enforcement officers were searching for a man who was believed to be experiencing a medical issue. The deputies were given a description of the vehicle and told that a family member claimed the driver was making irrational and threatening comments before driving away.
A Waldo County Deputy spotted the vehicle at around 8:12 as it was traveling north on Route 1 in Northport and attempted to get it to pull over. The driver refused to stop and continued into Belfast. Twice, officers from the Belfast Police and Sheriff's Office were able to get the vehicle to pull over momentarily, but each time the driver made reckless maneuvers to evade them. In the second such encounter, the vehicle nearly struck a Belfast Police Officer.
The pursuit continued into Belfast where a tire deflation device failed to work, but when the vehicle arrived in Hancock County, a second one was used by the Bucksport Police. It succeeded in flattening the tire, but the driver kept going, crossing the line into Blue HIll. At this point, the State Police became involved.
Once again, law enforcement was able to get the driver stopped momentarily in Blue Hill but he again attempted to elude officers. A member of the Searsport Police Department fired several rounds from his duty weapon at the tires of the vehicle, which disabled it, and police were able to pull the driver out.
71-year-old James Thomas of Camden was taken to an area hospital for evaluation. He's been summonsed for Reckless Conduct and Eluding a Police Officer.