A Skowhegan man has been arrested and charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend following a police chase Saturday that ended in New Hampshire.
On Wednesday, police found Nichole Jackson, 46, dead at a West Front Street home in Skowhegan, after receiving a 911 call at about 11:37 p.m.
The Office of Chief Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide following an autopsy Thursday. The cause of death was blunt force and sharp force trauma.
Maine State Police identified Jackson’s boyfriend, Dane Burke, 55, of Skowhegan, as a suspect. Burke was believed to be traveling in a 2018 silver Jeep Compass with Ohio license plates, according to Maine State Police spokesperson Shannon Moss.
At about 8 a.m. Saturday, Burke’s vehicle was seen in Lowell, Massachusetts. Local police tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver failed to comply, leading to a police chase. Massachusetts State Police joined the pursuit, which continued into New Hampshire.
The chase ended in Dunbarton, New Hampshire, when Burke’s vehicle left the road and crashed into a tree on Route 13, just north of Barnard Road, police said.
Burke barricaded himself inside the vehicle until the New Hampshire State Police SWAT Team took him into custody at about 10:30 a.m.
Burke was taken to Concord Hospital with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening, said Moss. He was arrested on a Maine warrant charging him with murder and will remain in New Hampshire custody pending his return to Maine.
Correction: This story was updated to correct the spelling of Nichole Jackson’s name.