An Appleton man who was the subject of a search after allegedly fleeing from police and crashing his pickup truck in Union has been arrested.
Maine State Police Sgt. Pat Hood located Claire Mitchell, 35, in Appleton, according to Knox County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Tim Carroll. Mitchell was arrested and transported to Knox County Jail without incident.
Mitchell faces charges of criminal speed, driving to endanger, eluding an officer, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, operating after suspension, refusing to submit to arrest, and violation of condition of release.
Knox County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. John L. Palmer responded to an erratic operations complaint at approximately 6:20 p.m., Saturday, June 7.
The complaint described a truck weaving and “crossing the center line and almost going into the ditch,” according to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. Tools and other items were reportedly “thrown out of the vehicle,” which damaged the complainant’s car.
Palmer located the truck in Union and attempted to stop it in the Maritime Farms parking lot. As Palmer approached the driver’s side of the truck, the driver sped away.
Palmer pursued the vehicle north on Route 131 and then onto the Butler Road. He decided to halt the pursuit as the driver of the truck allegedly reached speeds of more than 70 mph “on winding roads with blind spots and hills,” according to the sheriff’s office.
Palmer “followed at a safe distance to try to keep a visual of the truck,” but “lost sight of it at times,” the sheriff’s office said in a press release.
He eventually came upon the truck after it had crashed into a ditch. “The driver had fled the scene on foot,” according to the press release. A passenger was not injured.
An extensive search by deputies and Maine State Police K-9 teams was not successful.
