AUGUSTA — A man who allegedly led police on a New Year’s Eve chase that began in Gardiner and reached speeds higher than 130 mph was indicted recently on several charges — including reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon — by a Kennebec County grand jury.

Jamie A. Irish, 43, of North Yarmouth, was indicted on charges of eluding an officer, operating after revocation, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, driving to endanger, criminal speed and violation of condition of release, Dec. 31, 2020, in Gardiner.

According to an affidavit, Gardiner police Sgt. Normand Gove was on patrol Dec. 31, traveling north on West Hill Road in Gardiner when he observed a Mitsubishi Spyder two-door convertible traveling south. He said he recognized it as one he had recently stopped for a suspended registration. Gove also said the vehicle did not have a front plate and was exceeding the 30 mph speed limit. He turned and followed the vehicle and, Gove said in an affidavit, observed the vehicle accelerate quickly and drift from side to side, over the centerline. He turned on his blue lights and the vehicle sped off, west on Route 126.

Gove wrote that the vehicle continued west to the rotary in front of the West Gardiner Service Plaza, with the vehicle striking the rotary and spinning out, nearly hitting a utility pole. The officer tried to box in the vehicle and saw it accelerate quickly in his direction, so he slammed on his brakes and barely avoided the vehicle. Gove said he saw the male driver who he believed was Jamie Irish and a female passenger.

The vehicle then traveled back east, turning onto Interstate 295, where Gove said he reached speeds of 131 mph and it was slowly gaining distance on him. The Gardiner officer requested assistance from other police in the area.

Near mile marker 36, the Mitsubishi partially drove over a spike strip placed by a Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office deputy, deflating one of its tires, though the vehicle kept going. Gove also drove over the spike mat, deflating two of his tires and rendering his cruiser inoperable.

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The vehicle ran over another spike mat, deflating a second front tire, then was struck by a Maine State Police trooper using the “pit” — or precision immobilization tactic — maneuver which eventually rendered the vehicle inoperable. The vehicle’s occupants got out and fled on foot, but were quickly located and apprehended nearby, behind the Crooker concrete plant in Topsham.

The woman passenger said Irish was driving the vehicle and “she did not want any part of the incident as she was shaken up by it.”

While Irish initially denied ever being in the vehicle, he later, while being booked, “admitted to making a mistake and that he put people’s lives in danger,” Gove wrote.

The reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon charge alleges Irish “did recklessly create a substantial risk of serious bodily injury” to both his passenger and to Gove, with the use of a dangerous weapon, a vehicle.

An indictment is not a determination of guilt, but it indicates that there is enough evidence to proceed with formal charges and a trial.

Also indicted by the Kennebec County Grand Jury recently were:

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• Cain P. Ainslie, 39, of Spring Hill, Florida, assault on an officer, Nov. 7, 2020, in Vassalboro.

• Jessica L. Brillant, 39, of Whitefield, theft by unauthorized taking and misuse of identification, on or between Nov. 17 and Dec. 17, 2020, in Augusta; forgery, theft by unauthorized taking, and misuse of identification, on or between Nov. 25 and Dec. 1, 2020, in Augusta.

• Kegan Y. Barrett, 32, of Belgrade, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking and violation of condition of release, May 24, 2020, in Augusta.

• Jay A. Buotte, 59, of Waterville, criminal operating under the influence and aggravated operating after habitual offender revocation, March 1 in Waterville.

• Jeremy James-Louis Derose, 26, of Vassalboro, aggravated assault, Dec. 15, 2020, in Vassalboro.

• Joshua D. Elliott, 39, of Clinton, eluding an officer, operating after suspension, criminal speed, failure to stop for an officer and violation of conditions of release, March 21 in Clinton.

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• Tucker E. Foxwell, 29, of Waterville, aggravated assault, domestic violence criminal threatening and domestic violence assault, Dec. 25, 2020, in Waterville.

• Chad M. Goucher, 43, of Winthrop, criminal operating under the influence and operating beyond license condition or restriction, Nov. 7, 2020, in Winthrop; and criminal operating under the influence and operating beyond license condition or restriction, July 17, 2020, in Wayne.

• Robert J. Hart, 38, of Unity Plantation, domestic violence assault and domestic violence terrorizing, Nov. 7, 2020, in Unity Plantation.

• Julie E. Howarth, 38, of Augusta, theft by unauthorized taking, on or between July 7 and July 14, 2020, in Augusta.

• Adam Koopman, 38, of Augusta, aggravated assault and domestic violence assault, Nov. 15, 2020, in Augusta, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and violation of conditions of release, Jan. 29 in Augusta, domestic violence assault, April 1, 2020, in Augusta, and domestic violence terrorizing, Jan. 1 in Augusta.

• Daniel J. Krupski, 29, of Dresden, operating after revocation, violation of condition of release and failure to give correct name, Oct. 31, 2020, in Chelsea.

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• Michael LaBrecque, 49, of Augusta, 15 counts of possession of sexually explicit materials, Nov. 5, 2020, in Augusta.

• Valerie Murphy Lowe, 55, of Augusta, violation of condition of release, March 15 in Augusta.

• Brock A. Malone, 45, of Millinocket, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking, and violation of condition of release, March 17 in Augusta.

• Ben Allan Manley, 23, of China, assault on a child less than 6-years-old, July 23 in China.

• Zachary Joseph Morin, 30, of Winslow, theft by unauthorized taking, Jan. 21 in Waterville.

• Everline Niragira, 23, of Farmington, aggravated criminal mischief, terrorizing, and violation of condition of release, Oct. 22, 2020, in Augusta.

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• Donald Ouellette, 53, of Pittston, violation of condition of release, on or between Feb. 17 and Feb. 18, in Augusta.

• Lukas D.R. Poisson, 29, of Lewiston, eluding an officer, criminal operating under the influence and criminal speed, Nov. 4, 2020, in Monmouth.

• Daniel Sweetser, 34, of Buckfield, aggravated criminal mischief and violation of a protective order, Jan. 2, in Winthrop.

• Paul W. Thurlow, 32, of West Gardiner, arson and violation of condition of release, Feb. 23 in West Gardiner.

• Benjamin Tibbetts, 22, of Augusta, arson, Oct. 9, 2020, in Augusta.

• Ethan O. Turley, 31, of Augusta, assault and criminal mischief, Dec. 18, 2020, in Augusta.

• Allen Zoglio, 25, of New York City, aggravated forgery and operating without a license, July 7, 2020, in Winthrop.

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