BATH, Maine — A Brunswick man faces charges including operating under the influence and eluding an officer after police pursued his Cadillac on Wednesday night throughout downtown Bath and through two parking lots before it crashed and flipped on Chandler Drive, near the Bath Shopping Center.
Rayon Wilson, 30, remained at Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset on Thursday, held on $10,000 cash or $25,000 surety bail.
At about 8 p.m. Wednesday, Bath Police Cpl. Jason Aucoin noticed the vehicle speed through the Brackett’s Market parking lot in an erratic manner, and the driver allegedly spun the tires as he accelerated onto Commercial Street, Bath Police Lt. Robert Savary said in a release.
Aucoin pursued the Cadillac along Commercial and Lambard streets, and activated his emergency lights when the driver accelerated, according to Savary.
Aucoin recognized the gray 2005 Cadillac STS as belonging to Wilson, who police had removed from a downtown bar about 45 minutes earlier and warned not to drive because he appeared to be intoxicated, Savary said.
Upon reaching Lambard Street, Wilson stopped briefly, and Aucoin ordered him out of the car, but Wilson allegedly sped up Lambard Street, nearly losing control of the car as he turned onto Front and then Vine streets, driving through a red light at the intersection of Washington Street and onto the ramp to Route 1. Aucoin, with lights and sirens activated, pursued Wilson as he drove into the Bath Clipper Mart parking lot, and through a maze of streets ultimately speeding along Chandler Drive, where the Cadillac crashed near the parking lot of the Bank of Maine.
After striking a guardrail, the car flipped onto its side and continued to skid for about 281 feet, eventually rolling onto its roof.
Wilson, who was alone in the car, was arrested as he allegedly attempted to flee the crash.
He was evaluated at Mid Coast Hospital before being taken to Two Bridges Regional Jail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 13, 2015.
Savary praised his officers for “a great job,” and said police are relieved no one was injured.
“Police pursuits are not only dangerous, but very stressful for the pursuing officer(s),” Savary said in a release. “They constantly have to evaluate the pursuit, weighing the risks to the public’s safety by continuing it or by terminating it. These choices are made in an instant and we rely on officers to follow strict pursuit policies.”