ETNA, Maine — An Etna man was arrested late Tuesday night after a search in a wooded, boggy area that began about 8 p.m. in Stetson and ended a few hours later in Etna.
Police say that David Whitney, 38, rolled his car, ditched it and then fled into the nearby woods.
When Whitney was found more than two hours later, he was cold and wet up his knees but otherwise none the worse for wear, Deputy James Kennedy of the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department said Thursday.
Whitney was charged with operating under the influence and failure to report an accident by the quickest means, Kennedy said. Whitney was taken to the Newport police station for Intoxilyzer testing and released on bail from there late Tuesday night.
The episode that led to Whitney’s arrest began about 8 p.m while he was traveling on Coboro Road in Stetson. He reportedly reached the stop sign at the intersection with Lakins Road and lost control of his Subaru station wagon, which rolled onto its side.
From there, Whitney apparently fled into the nearby woods, leaving a trail of footprints behind in the snow, Kennedy said.
“He got a good head start on us,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy, along with Penobscot County sheriff’s Deputy Garrit McKee and Maine State Police Trooper Douglas Franklin, tracked Whitney’s footprints along a meandering trail that led into Etna. Also called in to help with the search was Game Warden Josh Tibbetts, Kennedy said.
Kennedy estimated that the authorities followed Whitney’s footprints for about four miles.
“It went uphill and downhill and across bogs,” Kennedy said. “He kept circling around around.” Kennedy said the trail that police followed indicated that Whitney broke through the ice in several boggy spots along the way.
While authorities were tracking him, the suspect reportedly spotted a snowmobile and tried to flag its driver for a ride. What he did not know, however, was that the sled was being operated by Warden Tibbetts, Kennedy said.
Whitney was taken into custody after McKee spotted him near the snowmobile trail near Bunker Road in Etna and alerted Sgt. William Birch, who was approaching the area and made the arrest, Kennedy said.
Kennedy said that Whitney did not disclose to police why he ran off into the woods. The deputy speculated, however, that Whitney might have fled the crash site because he held a conditional driver’s license because of a prior OUI conviction.
The Subaru had only minor damage, Kennedy said.
You know this is going to be thrown out of court. The impact of the accident had me all discombobulated, your honor. That’s why I wandered off and did all this circling in the woods that the good officers said I did. And in my confused state, when I neared a snowmobile trail, I found a jug of booze. You know what a bunch of drunks these snowmobiliers are. They have booze hidden all over their trails. So your honor, I couldn’t possibly be drunk and confused. It’s the other way around, I was confused, then drunk. A man develops a powerful thirst when stumbling around the woods of this great State of Maine. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it, you honor….dismissed!
Oh My God, you are way too funny. I’ll bet you’re spot on as well. roflmao
Oh… YES’AHHHHH!
In Levant, they been known in the past to find the groomer, by following the bottles :)
I think the criminals should be able to charge the county for exercising the cops. Instead of us taxpayers paying for their gym memeberships ! LOL
He rolled the car and it only sustained minor damage??
sounds like it actually didnt roll… just tipped over on its side. Thus is why they say minor damage.. snow probably helped cushion it. few dents and scratches n maybe a broken window
Glad the Subaru is OK!
Well He Had time to sober up lol He could always say he drank after the accident. Maybe he was trying to get to find some way to report it. Cell phones do not work well in stetson. I had my run ins with Bill Birch before lol.