SIDNEY, Maine — A 29-year-old Waterville man was arrested Friday after allegedly leading Maine State Police on a low-speed chase on Interstate 95.
Kyle Long was charged with failure to stop for a law enforcement officer, passing a road block, refusing to submit to arrest or detention and violations of conditions of release. The passing a road block charge is a Class C felony that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
State police began receiving reports of an erratic driver traveling about 25 mph in the southbound passing lane of I-95 in Waterville late Friday morning, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland said in a news release.
The vehicle was a black Toyota pickup, McCausland said. Troopers were sent to the area and found the truck near mile 122 in Sidney, near the Sidney exit.
“State police shut down the southbound lanes” for safety, McCausland said.
The vehicle came to a stop in the passing lane when Trooper John Lacoste approached and asked Long to exit the vehicle. Long reportedly appeared to be impaired or having possible mental issues, McCausland said.
“Despite Trooper Lacoste and Sgt. Peter Michaud attempting to remove [Long] from the vehicle, he continued to resist and refused to submit to arrest. Also in the truck was an aggressive dog that prevented troopers from turning off the ignition, and Long then drove off,” McCausland said.
That began a low-speed chase in the southbound lanes, as troopers attempted to stop the pickup, McCausland said. The pursuit ended at mile 118, when Maj. Brian Scott used his cruiser in a precision immobilization technique maneuver that disabled the fleeing vehicle, which came to rest in the median.
Long was taken to Kennebec County Jail, where he is being held without bail pending a medical evaluation.
An Augusta animal control officer was called in to take in Long’s injured dog, McCausland said. Also assisting were a state game warden and the Maine Department of Transportation.