HOULTON, Maine — The sheriff’s office that owned an unmarked police cruiser that was stolen by an escapee from a Louisiana detention center and driven 1,800 miles to Maine sent a message regarding the car to the town that helped capture the fugitive — keep it.
And while Benjamin Gottke, 43, remains in the custody of Aroostook County authorities, the town is weighing its options concerning what it will do with the vehicle, Aroostook County Assistant District Attorney Kurt Kafferlin said Monday.
During a Town Council meeting in Houlton last week, councilors accepted the donation of the 2002 Ford Crown Victoria stolen by Gottke and used in his escape. It was donated by the Tensas Parish (La.) Sheriff’s Office.
Houlton Police Chief Butch Asselin told the group that the car has nearly 170,000 miles on it but appears to be in good condition. During the meeting, councilors discussed plans to use the vehicle to replace a town car currently being driven by its code enforcement officer. The unmarked police car would replace the his 2005 Chevrolet, which is in need of significant repairs.
Gottke stole the backup police cruiser July 12 after escaping from the Tensas Parish Detention Center in Waterproof, La.. He had been serving time for simple burglary and had about nine months left on his sentence.
He apparently became confused on July 14 while trying to navigate the border crossing at Houlton in a possible attempt to enter Canada, according to police.
Officials are unsure whether Gottke was heading in or out of this country when he arrived at 2:30 p.m. at the Houlton Port of Entry.
“It was unclear what direction he was going,” Michelle Benson-Fuller, spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said later that day. “When he came into contact he was trying to get into the lane coming into the United States but he could have been going north and then turned around in between the two ports.”
When he was asked for identification at the port of entry, Gottke sped off and police found the unmarked cruiser abandoned at a Houlton restaurant. Gottke fled on foot and was located and arrested on the corner of Park and High streets.
Gottke is charged in Maine as being a fugitive from justice and resisting arrest as well as charges in Louisiana of simple escape and theft of a vehicle.
Last week, he stated his intentions to fight extradition and requested a formal extradition hearing in Maine. Louisiana authorities said they would petition Gov. Paul LePage to return Gottke to that state.
An extradition hearing is scheduled for Aug. 7 in Houlton Superior Court.
Kafferlin said Monday that because Gottke has been charged with escape, the judge does not have the discretion to set bail. The fugitive will remain in jail until the hearing.
Bonus….guess it was going to cost more to come and get it then give it away.
Don’t fret, poor ole Benny will pay for the car when he makes it back to Louisiana. They aren’t afraid, like Maine judges, to offend a criminal with a stiff sentence and restitution.
It could be shipped back for about $1200 to $1500. A ten year old cruiser with kind of miles is not worth that shiiping fee.
Don’t we, as well as the Canadians, have cameras recording in and out traffic? I refuse to believe that we don’t know what he did at the crossing.
The bonus is the vehicle hasn’t seen road salt.
It’s probably been driven sideways more miles than straight. Chasing the General Lee is not easy on a cruiser.
That was nice of that sherriffs department to just give it to Houlton. Granted the book value vs cost to get it back would probably be more.
this whole thing bothers me, how did his vehicle escape customs in the first place? seems like a serious security problem
Once he has to go back to LA someone down there will have to come up here to get him. I don’t know why the officer who does this doesn’t fly up here and they can drive the car back together with this fugitive in the back seat this time. Nice little score for Houlton anyway!! Old car but a free car!!!
LOL. Another car for HPD to stop kids and tell them HID lights a illegal. Maybe they should call BMW and inform them of this infraction. FYI Officer B if it is DOT approved it is legal. Let’s worry more about the drug deals going downtown then someone’s HID headlights. As far as the car goes great for the town. Hats of to La for the donation.
It would be a lot cheaper to let Ben drive it back to the swamp
You know what would be the cheapest way out of this? Although your idea is excellent! Being that close kick his arse across the border and let it be Canada’s problem, they got more money than us anyways. Oh yes, keep the cruiser. Rust wise it probably is the best Crown Vic. in the state.
I wonder what the voters and taxpayers of Tensas Parish think of this gift from their Sheriff’s Office to Aroostook County? I’m sure they had the chance to vote on giving away a free cruiser that they already paid for.
Houlton should send them some Maine potatoes as a ‘Thank You’. Must be some ‘Snow Birds’ heading that way in a few months.
The cost of getting the vehicle back to Louisiana would be more than the vehicle is worth. If I were a Tensas Parish taxpayer, I’d say “Well done!”.
What gave him away?
Was it he opposum Tail on the whip CB antena or the confedrate flag on the hood?
Nope it was his orange prison issued daisy dukes.
For a ten year old police cruiser, the mileage is pretty light! Houlton got a real “steal” right there!
Of course they said keep, they will buy a new one to replace that piece of junk.
Maybe they can sell it and lower the mill rate.