MOUNT VERNON, Maine — The Maine State Police Department said a Mount Vernon man led law enforcement officers from several departments on an approximately seven mile chase Wednesday afternoon.
Around 2:45 p.m., a state trooper stopped a vehicle on the Bean Road in Mount Vernon in an attempt to arrest one of the people in the vehicle, 30-year-old Caleb Hupper, for two active criminal arrest warrants.
Hupper ran from the vehicle and a foot chase ensued through the woods and onto a snowmobile trail. Hupper then stole a snowmobile and took off.
Shortly before 5 p.m., Hupper was located on a snowmobile trail near Maranacook Community School in Readfield. Police said the school is about seven miles from where the initial foot chase began.
According to police, school officials were made aware of the incident and were asked to take precautionary steps to make sure everyone on school grounds remained safe.
Officers from Maine State Police Troops C and D, the Maine Warden Service, Maine Fire Marshal's Office, Maine Forest Service, and Winthrop Police Department assisted in the call.
Hupper was arrested on active criminal warrants for violating conditions of release stemming from charges of operating after habitual offender status, driving to endanger and failing to notify of a motor vehicle accident. The second warrant was for charges of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer of property, failing to submit to arrest or detention, and violating conditions of release.
Hupper was also issued new criminal charges for eluding, failing to stop, failing to submit to arrest or detention, theft by unauthorized taking for transfer of property and additional title 12 violations.
He was transported to the Kennebec County Jail without injury or further incident.