Maine Police Stop a NH Vehicle in Turner, Arrest a Texas Fugitive

A safety inspection of a New Hampshire commercial vehicle resulted in the arrest of a fugitive from Texas.

Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss says the incident began at 1:00 Friday afternoon, when the Maine State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit stopped the vehicle, which had New Hampshire license plates, on Route 4 in Turner for a safety inspection. The driver told Troopers that he was from Hartford, Connecticut and stated that he didn't have a license. Police tried several times to positively identify the driver, but he was not cooperative with their investigation, given them different names, social security numbers, addresses, and dates of birth, but none of them were valid. Contacting the driver's wife and boss was also no help, as they both gave contradictory information.

He was placed under arrest for failing to provide accurate information, operating without a license, and possessing marijuana in a commercial motor vehicle. Police handcuffed his hands behind his back and put him in a cruiser, where he was buckled into the seat in preparation for transport. However, a short time later, while Troopers were interviewing a passenger from the box truck, they spotted the suspect in custody fleeing from the cruiser into the woods, with his handcuffs now in front of him. Due to the knee deep mud, Troopers waited for backup to help them escort the subject out of the woods.

After taking him to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston for treatment, the suspect was transported to the Androscoggin County Jail. He was finally identified as 40-year-old Joshua Keith Darby of Lake Charles, Louisiana, who's wanted in Texas on charges of money laundering. He's currently being held at the Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn, pending his extradition, along with the following new charges in Maine:

• Operating without a license
• Failing to provide correct name and date of birth
• Possession of marijuana in a commercial vehicle
• Operating under the influence of drugs
• Possession of alcohol in a commercial motor vehicle
• Operating without a log book in a commercial vehicle
• Failing to submit to arrest or detention
• Escape

Moss says Darby has an extensive criminal history across the country, which includes charges of domestic violence assault, aggravated batter/assault, burglary, theft, criminal threatening, robbery, probation violations, trafficking a firearm into prison, eluding police, assault on a law enforcement officer with a firearm, and second degree murder.