TROY, Maine — A Waldo County man who allegedly led police on a chase through two towns over the weekend was arrested and charged after a spike mat deflated his tires and halted his progress.
Police said that the 31-year-old driver, Dale Rowe of Troy, had his young son with him in the vehicle during the chase.
The pursuit began after Waldo County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Kyle Wasiela noticed that the studded snow tires had yet to be removed from a blue Honda CRV that was traveling on the North Horseback Road in Burnham, according to a police report.
Although the driver of the vehicle, identified later as Rowe, originally slowed down and signaled to indicate he would pull over, police said, he then allegedly sped back up and refused to stop.
Wasiela pursued the Honda CRV onto several rural roads in Burnham and then Troy, with speeds exceeding the limit only by small amounts, police said. But when Rowe allegedly continued to refuse to stop, police brought out a spike mat and placed it on the Detroit Road in Troy. The CRV drove over the mat and continued on four flat tires until another deputy was able to box the vehicle in and get Rowe to stop, police said.
Rowe was arrested and charged with failure to stop for an officer and operating under suspension. He also was arrested on outstanding warrants, police said, but the charges on those warrants were not immediately available.
The driver was taken to Waldo County Jail, and the boy’s mother was contacted to pick up her son.