MECHANIC FALLS, Maine — A Casco man was arrested Tuesday night in Mechanic Falls after apparently driving the wrong way on Route 26 in Poland while under the influence of alcohol.
At about 8:07 p.m., a detective tried to stop a 2010 Chrysler Sebring on Route 26 that was reportedly traveling in the wrong direction during a snowstorm. The Chrysler almost hit the detective's cruiser and other vehicles head-on, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss said in a news release.
The detective then turned his cruiser around and activated his emergency lights in an attempt to pull over the driver, identified as 29-year-old Nathan Locke of Casco. Locke failed to pull over, Moss said.
Locke reportedly "continued to drive on the wrong side of the road almost hitting several cars, operating between shoulders and driving over the median at one point," the release stated.
Following a short police pursuit, Locke crashed his car into a telephone pole in the area of 600 Bakerstown Road in Poland after attempting to bypass a plow truck, Moss said.
Locke was taken into custody after resisting arrest and then brought to Central Maine Medical Center, where he was "uncooperative with hospital staff, hospital security and officers," according to the release.
Released with minor injuries, Locke was taken to the Androscoggin County Jail, where he was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, eluding, failure to stop, refusing to submit to arrest, reckless conduct, and violating conditions of release.
Locke was reportedly on five sets of bail conditions at the time of this incident, Moss said.
Police ask anyone who witnessed this incident to contact Detective Jason Wing at 207-624-7076, ext. 9.
