ELLSWORTH, Maine — A Hancock man was arrested early Sunday morning after leading police officers on a chase through Ellsworth’s commercial district.
Officers James Gilway and Chad Wilmot observed a vehicle speeding down High Street — radar clocked him at 65 mph in a 35 mph zone — about 1 a.m. Sunday, Lt. Harold Page said on Tuesday. Gilway and Wilmot tried to pull the car over, but the driver kept driving, increasing his speed as he attempted to elude the police, Page said.
Gilway and Wilmot made chase through to Route 1 toward Hancock when the police sergeant on duty called off the chase, figuring it would be better to pick up the driver at his home. By then, police said, they had identified the driver as Gardiner Crabtree, 65, of Hancock.
“We had the plate number and driver identification anyway,” Page said. “The sergeant thought it would be best to call in the state police to pick him up at his house.”
Trooper Ryan Southard drove to Crabtree’s U.S. Route 1 home and arrested him on a charge of violating conditions of release on an unspecified previous charge. He also called Gilway and Wilmot to the scene, who charged Crabtree with eluding an officer, driving to endanger, criminal speeding, failure to stop and operating under the influence.
Crabtree was arrested and brought to Hancock County Jail, where he remained Tuesday afternoon. At the time of his arrest, his blood-alcohol content was .14 percent, police said.
Eluding an officer is a Class C offense, punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine.
Follow Mario Moretto on Twitter at @riocarmine.
Everybody knows only Ellsworth Pd can speed there.
What is it, boredom, why would a 65 year old man do something this stupid??
Midlife crises mixed with second childhood?
The apple gardener should just have an affair like many others do. I dealt with it by buying a 53 year old beetle. YEE HAW! Now I can outrun the cops with this 36 hp!
My first car was a 57 VW beetle, 36 hp, yup, no heat. Burned out a valve, we took the engine out put it on a barrel, yanked the head, seated a new valve with a electric drill and emery paste, had it back on the road the next day, bought it for 50.00, had new retread tires.
In my effort to relive my youth, I found the same year, color,etc as my first car ($50) in Illinois last summer ($7200 with shipping). Mostly original, 55k miles but this one runs! It looks great in storage next to the ’65 bus that I parked in ’79 and refuse to get rid of.
Oh well, at least I don’t have the cops chasing me….
because he was drunk.
It is 25 mph going towards Hancock, yet 35 mph if you are heading to Bangor.
Another BDN slip up.
It is 35 on Upper Main Street/Washington Junction Rd from Ellsworth heading toward Hancock, I am guessing that is where they clocked him, that is also the way most people trying to avoid High St In Ellsworth at 1am would drive, if heading to Hancock from Down town Ellsworth.
High Street does not indicate Washington Junction Road. Reread the article. High Street (going toward Bangor) it is 35 mph. High Street (going toward Bar Harbor) it is 25 mph.
The speed limits on Washington Junction Road is 30 from the Fairpoint Communication Yard to High Street, and 45 going the other way.