ACTON — A Sanford man is facing a felony charge after police say he led them on a two-state chase that ended late Sunday when the York County Sheriff’s Office deployed a spike mat and a Maine State Police K-9 team tracked the driver into the woods.
Christopher Landry, 24, was charged with eluding an officer, a Class C felony, and was being held without bail at the York County Jail in Alfred on Monday night. Police say Landry could face additional charges, as they allege he does not have a valid driver’s license and was driving a vehicle he didn’t have permission to use.
State police from Troop A in Alfred said they were told Sunday that a driver had fled into Lebanon from Rochester, New Hampshire, after failing to stop a vehicle for Rochester police. Troopers said they learned the vehicle was a Volkswagen Jetta and that the driver, identified as Landry, did not have permission to be driving it.
Shortly after 11 p.m., Cpl. James Macdonald saw the vehicle traveling erratically in Lebanon. Macdonald turned on his emergency lights and siren to stop the vehicle, but the driver took off at high speed, state police said in a social media post Monday .
Trooper Conner Walton was in the area and joined the pursuit as the Jetta continued toward Acton.
Police said a York County Sheriff’s Office deputy deployed a spike mat, and the vehicle slowed down, at times traveling in the oncoming lane of the two-lane road.
Macdonald used his cruiser to force the vehicle to a stop, but the driver ran into the woods.
A perimeter was set up with state police from three troops joining deputies from the York County Sheriff’s Office.
Trooper Adam Schmidt and K-9 Ibo tracked Landry about one mile through woods, into a field across a road, and into another section of woods where the dog found him lying behind a tree. Police said Landry was cooperative and was taken into custody.
Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or at:
twells@journaltribune.com
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