An Ohio man allegedly fled from state troopers Monday afternoon during a traffic stop on Interstate 95 in Hampden.
William Ratliffe, 33, of South Euclid, Ohio, was charged with domestic violence reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, domestic violence assault, OUI refusal, operating without a license, refusing to submit to arrest or detention, and leaving the scene of a property damage crash, according to Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
Ratliffe was allegedly driving a Toyota Tacoma erratically and weaving in and out of traffic on I-95, near mile marker 163 in Plymouth, about 3:13 p.m.
A trooper stopped Ratliffe near mile marker 173 in Hampden. During the traffic stop, the trooper smelled alcohol, saw an open container of booze and a female passenger with injuries to her face, Moss said Tuesday afternoon.
Ratliffe allegedly argued with the trooper and refused to identify himself. When the trooper asked him to get out of the vehicle, Ratliffe allegedly took off at a high speed, eventually crashing near the Hampden rest area, according to Moss.
Ratliffe allegedly fled into the median woods. Police used a dog to track him down to his hiding place in the woods.
The passenger was taken to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, where her injuries were evaluated.
Ratliffe was taken to the Penobscot County Jail in Bangor, where he remained early Tuesday afternoon, according to the jail’s website.