A Bangor motorist reportedly was speeding early Thursday morning despite poor road conditions and when his car did stop for police, the driver jumped from the car and fled on foot, only to be caught a third of a mile away.
Bangor police charged Timothy Blackwell, 19, with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants, failure to stop for a police officer, violation of conditions of release and speeding 10 to 14 mph above the speed limit.
Bangor police Officer Shawn Green said he saw a 1992 Nissan Sentra speeding on Main Street about 12:40 a.m. and that the car swerved past a plow truck.
Green said that when he caught up with the car on Harlow Street, it had cut its speed considerably, but was still traveling 35 mph in a 25 mph zone.
The car didn’t stop for the cruiser’s blue lights, but Green said it did pull to the right and drive over the curb at Spring Street. The car finally stopped at the intersection of Harlow and Cumberland streets, but Green said the motorist fled from the car and made his way into the field behind Capital Ambulance Service.
Green gave chase but it was Bangor police Officer Kerry Libby, who was in the area, who found Blackwell on Willow Street, about three-tenths of a mile from where he ditched his car, according to the police report.
Libby was familiar with Blackwell as earlier she had stopped him for speeding and summoned him for not having an inspection sticker. A copy of the ticket was found in the car.
Blackwell told police that he was out on bail for a domestic assault charge and had fled because he was afraid of going back to jail. He was taken to Penobscot County Jail and was bailed after appearing in court Thursday.
Within a half hour of Bangor police chasing one allegedly intoxicated motorist, officers found themselves in pursuit of another driver who would not stop for them. He too was charged with drunken driving, among other charges.
Bangor police Officer Wade Betters said he watched as an SUV didn’t turn left at the intersection of the Odlin Road and Interstate 395 about 1:10 a.m. despite the vehicle being in the left turning lane and getting the green arrow.
When all the lights turned green, the SUV surged straight ahead, cutting off other traffic. It then slammed into an island, causing the entire driver’s side to jolt into the air, Betters reported.
The 2004 Dodge Durango accelerated after Betters put his cruiser’s blue lights on. It continued down Odlin Road where it made a sharp left turn, slamming into a ditch near Gold’s Gym, spraying snow into the air.
Betters said the vehicle accelerated out of the ditch and crossed into the parking lot of the Holiday Inn, nearly hitting some vehicles as it drove through the parking lot.
In the back lot, the SUV came to an abrupt stop, with the driver, Scott A. Bergeron, 41, of Kittery later telling Betters that he just wanted to get to his hotel room.
Betters said that based on his investigation, Bergeron “was clearly intoxicated.”
Bergeron was charged with OUI, operating after suspension, failure to stop for a police officer and possession of drug paraphernalia. The last charge came after police searched Bergeron and found a glass marijuana pipe with residue on it.
Bergeron was taken to Penobscot County Jail and later released on personal recognizance bail.
Compiled by NEWS reporter Doug Kesseli
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