Youth faces charges after chase, crash

BUCKSPORT — A local teenager will face charges after he led police on a high speed chase along Millvale Road Wednesday night.

According to Bucksport Police Officer Ryan Knight, the 17-year-old boy was traveling south on Millvale Road at about 9:10 p.m. Wednesday. Officer Knight attempted to stop the vehicle for speeding near the Gaftek business. The vehicle first signaled to pull over to the right-hand side of the road. The vehicle did not stop, however, and the operator turned off all of the vehicle’s exterior lights and continued to travel south at a high rate of speed.

Officer Knight followed at speeds that reached 70 mph. The teen had traveled about .7 miles down the road when he lost control of the vehicle and failed to negotiate a curve. The vehicle left the road, struck a tree and came to rest in the ditch. The vehicle’s engine caught fire.

Another Bucksport officer was able to extinguish the fire.

The single passenger in the car, a 17-year-old boy, got out of the vehicle and was detained at the scene. He was not injured in the accident.

The operator of the vehicle also left the vehicle and fled the scene on foot, running into the nearby woods.

Police searched the area and Bucksport police were assisted at the scene by Maine State Trooper Jessica Shorey and her tracking dog.

“We searched the area with the dog, but the dog was not able to locate the subject,” Knight said.

The driver, who received a minor injury in the accident, returned to his residence in Bucksport where police took him into custody at about 2:35 a.m. on Thursday. The case remains under investigation and charges are pending.

In addition to the assistance of Trooper Shorey, Officer Knight was assisted at the scene by Bucksport Police Officer Daniel Harlan and the Bucksport Fire/Ambulance Department.