Man leads Ellsworth police on high-speed chase

ELLSWORTH – A man eluded police at speeds reaching 100 mph early Thursday morning before he crashed his truck and then fled on foot.

Mark Vallejos, 22, of Deer Isle eventually was arrested by Ellsworth police Officer Shawn Willey, who found him hiding inside an enclosed porch at a home in Surry.

Vallejos didn’t go quietly, though, the officer said.

“He put up a fight and actually lunged at me at one point,” Willey said Thursday afternoon. “My K-9, Vegas, ended up biting him, and we got into a wrestling match.”

The incident started shortly after 1 a.m. when Willey noticed a 1998 Chevy pickup weaving on the Surry Road (Route 172). The officer activated his lights to pull the truck over, but once both vehicles were stopped, the truck driven by Vallejos sped off, Willey said.

Vallejos raced away from Ellsworth, reaching triple digit speeds, before he turned onto Morgan Bay Road. Willey said he followed for about 10 miles but then ended his pursuit.

“He was traveling so fast and that road was windy that it became dangerous for me to continue,” he said.

A short time later, Willey responded to an accident on Morgan Bay Road and, not surprisingly, found the Chevy pickup.

“He had taken out several trees and came to rest near a house,” Willey said. “When I got there, he had left the scene.”

Willey and his K-9 tracked Vallejos to a nearby house, where the man was hiding on a porch.

He and the officer scuffled briefly before Willey subdued the man and applied his handcuffs.

Vallejos was taken to Hancock County Jail in Ellsworth. He was charged with eluding an officer, operating under the influence, refusing to submit to arrest, leaving the scene of an accident, driving to endanger and criminal speeding.

Willey said the man also was on probation. Vallejos was still at the jail as of Thursday evening.

Eric Russell can be reached at erussell@bangordailynews.net or 664-0524