YORK, Maine — A New Hampshire man was taken into custody after leading police on a car chase in York on Friday night.
The York Police Department used spike strips to stop the man’s vehicle, then used a stun gun to stop the driver from attempting to flee and resisting arrest.
Eric Harris, 36, of Campton, New Hampshire, was charged with aggravated reckless conduct, attempting to elude a police officer, passing a police roadblock, operating under the influence of alcohol, failure to submit to arrest or detention, criminal speed and driving to endanger.
Harris also was charged with being a fugitive from justice. He had a warrant out of New Hampshire for failing to register as a convicted sex offender. He was brought to York County Jail and was being held on $15,000 bail.
Three pedestrians in York Beach Square flagged down a passing police cruiser and reported they saw an intoxicated man get into a vehicle and then drive off. The witnesses were able to point to Harris’ vehicle as it drove by them. The officer followed the car for a short distance, and when he saw the car was being operated erratically, he stopped the car on Long Beach Avenue.
As the officer approached the car, the operator reportedly drove away at a high rate of speed. The driver headed south on Long Beach Avenue, and the officer initiated pursuit of the vehicle. The police vehicle was attempting to catch up to the vehicle when another officer noticed the suspect’s vehicle had turned around in the area of Camp Eaton and passed him northbound.
The pursuit continued north on Long Beach Avenue, and police set up a roadblock at the northern end of Long Beach. They deployed spike mats after the car failed to stop at the roadblock, which deflated three of the car’s tires.
The car turned right onto Ocean Avenue Extension, almost striking a vehicle head on. The vehicle then struck a large rock on the side of the road while the driver continued to attempt to evade police. The car eventually came to a stop on the front lawn of a residence.
Harris got out of the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot with officers pursuing him. He ran into a back yard of a residence and reportedly continued to resist arrest. He eventually wastaken into custody after being subdued with a stun gun.
York police are requesting that anyone with any information about this incident, especially the three women who alerted the officer, or witnessed the incident to call York police Officer Ben Ogden at 207-363-4444.