Just before midnight on Sunday, a 19-year-old youth led police on a chase, with speeds approaching 100 mph, through Gorham, Standish and Limington, after a Gorham officer tried to stop the man for speeding.

Dean Hannon, Gorham police officer, initiated the chase on Route 25 in Gorham of a red Ford Escort speeding toward Westbrook. Hannon radioed his dispatch center that the driver was not going to stop, and advised units in the area of the chase.

Larry Cote, Cumberland County Sheriff’s deputy was headed for Route 114 in Standish to monitor the road flooding at Sticky River. Knowing that Standish firemen were already at the flood scene, Cote decided to assist the Gorham officers by heading toward Gorham on Route 25 in case the car doubled back.

Cote noticed by the radio traffic that the subject was staying on main roads, as the chase did in fact change direction a few times. Cote, noting the new direction of the pursuit, decided to pull over on Route 25 near Cressey Road in Gorham and turned his lights off. The officer had just pulled the spike strip from his trunk when he saw the subject and the following police cars approaching his location at a high rate of speed.

Cote had just enough time to throw the mat across the road, and run back out of the way.

“There was a loud bang as the Escort hit the spikes. The mat gets thrown up into the wheel area. The spikes are designed to let the air escape and the tire just goes flat. They are not designed to cause a blowout. The escort slowed down a bit, but he wasn’t stopping,” related Cote.

Cote ran back to his cruiser, threw the spike strip in his trunk, and joined the chase. At speeds between 60 mph and 80 mph the Ford had slowed somewhat, but was now running on two right side flats.

“I could smell burning rubber,” said Cote. “Then I noticed chunks of tire that had been thrown off the wheels. By now the car was running on the two passenger side aluminum rims. Thankfully it was after midnight and there wasn’t any traffic on the roads, because he wasn’t stopping.”

“The kid kept reaching down to the passenger seat. Then he took his shirt off, and lit a cigarette. We couldn’t figure out what he was up to. Suddenly he pulled into his father’s driveway on Pine Hill Road in Limington. I realized I had been here a short time ago, and I had arrested this same kid already. I caught him stealing a four wheeler from Wescott & Sons in Gorham a couple of months ago,” added Cote.

Michael Huntley, 19, of 40 State Street, Gorham was arrested on charges of failure to stop for a police officer and passing a roadblock. Other charges may be added at a later date. Bail was set at $50,000 property or $25,000 cash and the suspect remains in custody at the Cumberland County Jail.

Cote had high praise for patrolman Hannon from Gorham, and thanked the fellow officer for very clear, concise radio reports.

“Hannon continued to give us the speed, landmarks that they were passing and enough information to plan ahead of the chase. He was very thorough and he deserves a lot of credit. We are all thankful that it was late at night and the traffic was so light. I was worried a couple of times that Huntley might try to go up 114 where the road was flooded. What if he had gone through there at high speed with the road washed out,” asked Cote?

Cote also stated that Richard Huntley, Michael’s father, had just sold the red Escort to his son. The car had an altered inspection sticker, and illegal license plates. The younger Huntley had no driver’s license and had violated the conditions of his bail by entering York County and driving to his father’s residence.

Cote related that Huntley had promised his father if there were any problem that evening he would bring the Escort back to his father’s Limington house.

And he was true to his word.

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