LEBANON – A 48-year-old Sanford man who apparently  wasn’t licensed to drive led York County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Sanford and North Berwick police on a 20-mile chase in a 15-minute time span through three towns Friday afternoon.

Jeffrey Fournier was apprehended in Lebanon after spike mats deflated the tires on the 2006 Subaru he was driving.

The chase began at about 2:30 p.m. when Deputy Bob Carr tried to stop Fournier on Back Road in Shapleigh for speeding. Sheriff Bill King said Fournier sped away towards Route 109, and the chase then traveled Deering Road, Hanson’s Ridge Road, Oak Road and Philbrick Road, all in Sanford, and Fall Road and Lower Middle Road in Lebanon.

Fournier was arrested and charged with eluding a police officer, driving to endanger and operating without a driver’s license, said King. He was taken to York County Jail and held on $2,000 cash bail.

No other details of the chase were provided in a statement released by the sheriff’s office late Friday night.

In a social media posting Saturday, the sheriff’s office alleged Fournier had been “driving wildly” before Carr encountered him on Back Road.

“There is no reason to believe he would have discontinued his erratic driving if we discontinued the enforcement effort,” the social media posting stated. “The supervisors, as well as the pursuing deputy, cautiously monitored (the situation). We believed it was very important to get Fournier off the road and apprehended.”

“Car chases are dangerous to the officers involved and the motoring public,” the posting further stated.  “We thank all of the motorists who pulled over safely for us to pass and apologize for any inconvenience.”