High speed chase leads to arrests
HOULTON, Maine — A Fort Fairfield man is facing multiple charges after a high-speed pursuit Sunday that involved Maine State Police, Aroostook County Sheriff’s deputies and the Houlton Police Department.
Ryan Young, 35, was charged with theft, violation of conditions of release, driving to endanger, reckless conduct and operating after suspension, according to a news release from state police. Additional charges may be forthcoming as other agencies continue their investigations.
A passenger who was with Young, identified as Ashley Theriault, 27, of Caribou, also was charged with theft and violation of conditions of release, according to police. Both are being held at the Aroostook County Jail.
Shortly after 8 a.m. Sunday, Aroostook County Sheriff’s deputies received a report of a stolen vehicle on U.S. Route 1 in Monticello.
Sgt. Erica Pelletier met with the vehicle owners, got a description of the white 2008 Ford F 350 truck, and a description of the suspected thief.
The owner said a man had come to their home looking for gas. When told there was none, he asked if he could look on the back of their truck and they said yes. Finding none, he left.
Shortly before 9 a.m., state police received a report of another vehicle theft in the same area. This report involved a 2007 GMC Sierra being taken from a residence on Fletcher Road in Monticello.
At approximately 9:12 a.m., Houlton police Officer Matt Quint spotted the 2007 GMC, which was being driven erratically in Houlton, and attempted to stop it, according to the release.
The truck then turned on to Interstate 95, heading south, and the driver refused to pull over.
Quint continued to pursue the truck until Trooper Eric Sucy caught up to the vehicle and took over the chase near Oakfield. The truck had a flat front tire but continued to drive at speeds up to 98 mph, according to police.
The pursuit continued north on U.S. Route 2, after the vehicle got off the highway in Island Falls.
Police ended the chase due to safety concerns after the truck driver drove erratically, including driving north in the southbound lane of U.S. Route 2.
Troopers, deputies and officers from Houlton police were staged in areas ahead of the vehicle in attempts to warn other drivers.
Officers from Houlton resumed the pursuit of the vehicle in Ludlow.
As Sgt. Jeff Clark was stopping his cruiser to prepare to deploy a spike mat in an attempt to stop the truck, the pickup veered into the southbound lane in an apparent attempt to hit Clark’s cruiser. Clark was able to veer off the roadway, narrowly missing being struck head-on by the pickup.
The vehicle continued north on Route 2 approaching Houlton and then rammed into the rear of another vehicle that was also traveling north. That vehicle was being driven by Julia Watson, 85, of Houlton.
Watson was taken to Houlton Regional Hospital and treated for minor injuries.
Troopers and county officers joined the pursuit, which left Route 2 and continued into downtown Houlton. On Court Street, Trooper Sucy used the PIT (Precision Immobilization Technique) maneuver, striking and disabling the pickup and ending the chase.
The driver, Young, jumped out of the vehicle and ran a short distance on foot before being taken into custody without further incident. Both Young and Theriault were taken to Houlton Regional Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
The Sheriff’s Office subsequently recovered the Ford F350 and a silver, 2005 GMC truck, in a body of water off Fletcher Road in Monticello. The GMC, which had the registration plates and VIN plate removed, was later determined by Presque Isle Police to have been stolen.
A wrecker was called to remove the vehicles from the water for further processing by deputies. Young is also facing charges from Caribou police for theft and violation of conditions of release from an unrelated incident. The stolen 2007 Chevrolet pickup driven by Young during the pursuit sustained extensive front-end damage and is a total loss, according to police.
At least two small grass fires were apparently started when sparks flew off the tire rim during the pursuit. Maine Forest Service personnel handled the fires, which were extinguished quickly and without property damage.
