This story will be updated.

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A Presque Isle man has died following a standoff with police Sunday evening.

Jacob Poitraw, 25, was wanted by Presque Isle police for questioning regarding a road rage incident, where he allegedly threatened two people with an assault rifle on Saturday, Presque Isle police Chief Laurie Kelly said.

Sgt. Tyler Cote saw Poitraw driving on June 5 and tried to stop his vehicle. Poitraw refused to stop and led Cote on a chase through Presque Isle, ramming Cote’s cruiser several times, Kelly said.

The chase ended at the corner of Main and Davis streets Sunday evening at around 7:15 p.m., near Freshies convenience store. After Poitraw struck and disabled Cote’s cruiser, Cote shot Poitraw.  

Poitraw later died at a local hospital.

Two people reported the road rage incident Saturday evening to the Presque Isle Police Department, Kelly said. Police were unable to find Poitraw and notified other law enforcement agencies that he was wanted on charges of criminal threatening with a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and aggravated reckless conduct with a firearm.

“Apparently learning that he was wanted, Mr. Poitraw called the Presque Isle Police Department but refused to cooperate or turn himself in and issued threats against law enforcement,” Kelly said.

Earlier in the day, officers described Poitraw as armed and dangerous in a post on the department’s Facebook page. Poitraw was thought to be driving a red Nissan pickup with white lettering on the tailgate, the post said. Police urged the public not to approach Poitraw if seen, but to contact law enforcement. 

As the situation unfolded behind Freshies Sunday evening, where police said Poitraw rammed Cote’s cruiser, smoke poured from the disabled vehicle. Police blocked roads near the convenience store and told residents to stay away from the area until the situation was resolved.  

As is protocol, Sgt. Cote is on administrative paid leave while the Attorney General’s Office and the Presque Isle Police Department investigate the incident, Kelly said.

Cote has been with the department since 2014.

Both Kelly and Danna Hayes, special assistant to the Maine attorney general, said Monday morning that no further information would be forthcoming while the case is being investigated.

Poitraw has a criminal history. He was sentenced in June 2016 to three years in prison and two years of probation for burglary, and another six months in jail for a probation violation. Subsequent probation violations in April 2017 and November 2017 resulted in six months in jail and two years in prison, respectively. 

In April 2017, Poitraw was one of two inmates at the Aroostook County Jail who walked away from their community work assignment, took a pickup truck from the work farm to the Houlton Walmart and stole a large cigarette disposal bin before returning to the work site.

The Presque Isle Police Department’s Sunday post about Poitraw has been removed.