July 15, 2012

Louisiana fugitive caught in Maine

The man allegedly escaped from prison and stole a backup police cruiser last week.

The Associated Press

HOULTON — A Louisiana fugitive is in custody in Maine after he fled the U.S. Customs and Border Protection port of entry in Houlton.

A U.S. official says she's not sure if 43-year-old Benjamin Gottke was entering the United States from Canada on Saturday or if he had turned around before entering Canada and drove back to the port of entry.

Gottke was driving a vehicle with a Louisiana license plate and fled south on Interstate 95 when ordered to turn off the vehicle.

The Bangor Daily News says U.S. Border Patrol agents and Maine police located Gottke about an hour later after the vehicle was found at a truck stop.

Gottke allegedly escaped last week from the Tensas Parish Detention Center in Waterproof, La., and stole a backup police cruiser.

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