A North Anson man was arrested Monday on four warrants related to a high-speed car chase this month in which he allegedly jumped out of a moving truck while it soared airborne and took off running from police.

Zachary Erkson, 25, is charged with eluding an officer, driving to endanger, operating while his license was suspended or revoked and speeding more than 30 mph over the speed limit. He turned himself in Monday at the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office in Skowhegan, according to Chief Deputy James Ross.

According to a post on the agency’s Facebook page dated Sept. 24, Erkson was wanted by police for allegedly leading an officer on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle on Sept. 4.

Cpl. Eugene Cole of the sheriff’s office first tried to stop the vehicle, a 2005 silver GMC Sierra pickup truck, which had been reported stolen from Millinocket. Cole had spotted the truck on River Road in Anson, the post said.

As Cole tried to stop the truck, it accelerated and several miles later went down a dirt road leading to a gravel pit.

The chase reached speeds of 85 mph until the truck’s driver tried to negotiate a turn, but because of its high speed it ended up going airborne into a field on New Portland Road in Embden, the Facebook post said.

“Apparently, the operator thought that he was the stuntman in a Jason Statham movie, because, as the vehicle was in midair, and still going quite fast, the operator jumped out of it, landed on his feet, and hit the ground running. I believe (Cole) used the words, ‘took off running like a gazelle,’ ” the post said.

Ross said Tuesday that the truck’s owner is not pursuing charges related to it being stolen. The damage to the truck was minimal, he said.


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