FALMOUTH – An elderly man, suffering from an apparent medical condition, led police on a low-speed chase Thursday afternoon, striking a police cruiser and nearly hitting about a half-dozen vehicles, police said.
Sgt. George Savage said he was conducting a speed detail on Middle Road when he clocked a blue Dodge Dakota pickup truck going 50 mph in a 30 mph zone shortly after 3 p.m.
Savage said he tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver, 77-year-old Robert Millington, would not stop.
The pursuit continued about a half-mile to the Middle-Lunt Road intersection. The truck stopped briefly in the middle of the intersection before going left onto Lunt Road, where the driver began weaving, Savage said.
Millington turned left on Falmouth Road and nearly hit several oncoming cars, Savage said. The driver pulled over several times, only to pull back out into traffic, again nearly striking vehicles, he said.
After making a left on Allen Avenue Extension, Millington crossed the Presumpscot River bridge and pulled over one last time.
Savage said that as he approached the vehicle, Millington put his truck in reverse and rammed the police cruiser, causing minimal damage.
“Luckily, we were so close it was just some scrapes to the bumper,” said Savage.
Savage said Millington, who has home addresses listed in Westbrook, Scarborough and South Portland, apparently was suffering from a medical condition and was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland.
“He was confused,” Savage said. “He thought he was in Westbrook.”
Savage said police will not press charges if Millington in fact had a medical condition.
Staff Writer Randy Billings can be contacted at 791-6346 or at:
rbillings@pressherald.com
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