A prisoner at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham died Sunday, the state Department of Corrections said Monday.

Wayne Patrick King, 36, of Waldoboro, died about 11:30 a.m., according to a statement by corrections spokeswoman Jody Breton.

He had served about half of his 34-month sentence for eluding a police officer, a term being served concurrently with sentences for two convictions for aggravated operating a motor vehicle after having his license revoked as a habitual offender.

The state Medical Examiner’s Office in Augusta will determine the cause and manner of death, as is standard practice in inmate deaths.

According to the Maine State Police, King led police on a high-speed chase through Durham in September 2014.

State police said King sped through a construction zone, reaching speeds of almost 100 mph, and nearly hitting two construction crew flaggers. King passed vehicles on the right and left, forcing some drivers off the road.

The chase was called off due to public safety concerns, but authorities later located King hiding in a storage area of a Lewiston apartment house. At the time, King’s driver’s license had been suspended.

Figures provided by Breton show that King is the second state prisoner to die in custody this year. Five prisoners died in state custody last year.

County jail deaths have totaled two so far this year, compared with three last year.


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