OLD TOWN, Maine — A University of Maine student who was speeding downtown early Friday morning didn’t stop for an Old Town police officer who was following him with his blue lights and sirens on, Capt. Kyle Smart said Monday.
Seth Smith, 21, who lives on campus, was spotted by Officer Ryan Fitch going 50 mph in a 25 mph zone at about 12:30 a.m., when Fitch activated his cruiser’s lights and started to pursue him, the police captain said.
“The radar got as high as 62 mph,” Smart said.
Smith got onto Stillwater Avenue, heading toward Orono. Fitch followed, but there was a car between him and Smith for a stretch, so he radioed ahead to Orono police for help. Smith reached speeds as high as 83 mph before slowing to turn left onto College Avenue, where he ran a red light and crossed the centerline, Smart said.
Shortly after making the turn, Smith stopped his vehicle.
“He admitted to drinking in Old Town and he admitted to speeding, but not as fast as Officer Fitch reported,” Smart said. “He said he didn’t think the officer was behind him or trying to stop him.”
Smith, who smelled of alcohol, and was given an Intoxilyzer test that showed his blood alcohol level was twice the state’s legal limit of 0.08, Smart said.
He was arrested and charged with operating under the influence, speeding in excess of 30 mph over the posted speed limit, and failing to stop for a law enforcement officer. He also was given a red light violation warning, the police captain said.
Smith was taken to the Penobscot County Jail in Bangor and later released, Smart said. (Nok-Noi Ricker, BDN)
Ha, got a warning for the red light?
I’ll bet he told the Policeman that he would have stopped if he wasn’t drunk and going so gosh darn fast. Seemed to have worked.
Nope, nope that has to be wrong. UMO students don’t do those things.
So, one out of about 50 drunken driving students around Umaine got caught huh? The other 49 were probably driving the speed limit. Driving 50 in a 25 while drunk… – he deserves 6 months to think about it, and a felony record.
maybe he just had to pee. really bad.
.08 is NOT twice the state of Maines legal limit! Just more sloppy reporting that makes a student look worse than the he deserves
Unless they just changed it the statement reads ” …blood alcohol level was twice the state’s legal limit of 0.08…” Doesn’t way what his BAC was, but if you do the math I’d surmise it was .16 BAC.
i think you need to go back and read that sentence again. it says “Smith, who smelled of alcohol, and was given an Intoxilyzer test that showed his blood alcohol level was twice the state’s legal limit of 0.08, Smart said.” it doesnt say he got a result of .08, it states it was twice the legal limit OF .08.
You’re reading skills are amazing, where the heck did you go to school?