Pursuit

From the desk of Shannon Moss, DPS PIO

On Sunday, April 3, 2022 the Maine State Police received numerous 911 calls from a man who was traveling southbound on I-95 in the Gray area. The man was identified as 27-year-old AHMED DUALE of Lewiston. DUALE was discovered to have committed an armed robbery in Auburn. Troopers located the vehicle southbound in Scarborough. While awaiting units to safely attempt to stop the vehicle DUALE began to speed up to a reckless speeds. Troopers activated their lights and attempted to stop DUALE. DUALE refuse to stop, weaving in and out of the lanes of travel. Numerous attempts to deploy spike mats were unsuccessful. Troopers continued the pursuit into New Hampshire were the New Hampshire State Police took over the pursuit. Once in New Hampshire DUALE continued to drive recklessly. NHSP requested Maine assist them in preventing DUALE from using the crossovers, which he had used on a few occasions. While attempting to keep DUALE from using a crossover, DUALE hit a Maine State Police cruiser at low speeds. Taking advantage of the contact between the vehicles, a Trooper was safely able to stop DUALE’s vehicle. DUALE was taken into custody without incident.

DUALE is facing numerous charges in Maine to include, Eluding, Aggravated Driving to Endanger, Criminal Speed, Reckless conduct with a dangerous Weapon as well as armed robbery out to the City of Auburn. DUALE was transported by NHSP to the Rockingham County Jail and will be facing charges in New Hampshire. 

Maine State Police Troop G was assisted by Troop A, York, and Kittery Police Departments. 
 

From the desk of Shannon Moss, DPS PIO

A New Hampshire woman operating stolen vehicle is facing multiple charges after leading Maine State Police on a high speed chase.

On Monday, July 5, 2021, at approximately 11:18 am a Maine State Trooper observed a vehicle speeding on the Turnpike in the northbound lane at mile marker 40 in Scarborough. The driver of the red Chevy Silverado work truck, stolen out of New Hampshire, refused to stop and continued at a high rate of speed, weaving in and out of traffic including in the breakdown lane. The Trooper initiated a chase but quickly terminated it at mile marker 42 due to construction and traffic congestion in the area. Another Trooper picked up the chase at mile marker 52, eastbound on the Falmouth Spur where there was a lot less traffic. Before State Police could deploy spike mats the driver of the stolen truck entered a crossover to the westbound lanes and struck a black Honda CRV from Massachusetts head-on. The three adults in that vehicle were transported to Maine Medical Center. One of the adults has serious but non-life-threatening injuries.  The westbound lanes of the spur were shut down but have since re-opened.

The male passenger of the stolen truck was transported to Maine Medical Center with minor injuries, he is not being identified. The female driver, 33-year-old Mary Jo Hefferon of Farmington, New Hampshire was brought to Maine Medical Center with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Hefferon was charged with eluding, violation of conditions of release, operating without a license, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, driving to endanger, and receiving stolen property.

If anyone witnessed the red Chevy Silverado with two orange work lights and NH license plates driving erratically in Scarborough, Portland, or Falmouth please call Maine State Police at 207.624.7076 x9.
 

A Lewiston Man is facing multiple charges after leading police on a chase while driving a motorcycle.

On April 24th, 2021, Trooper Tyler Nadeau was assisting Androscoggin County Sheriffs Office with a traffic stop on Route 202 in Greene. The Deputy attempted to stop a group on motorcycles driving aggressively. Only one of the three motorcycle stopped and the other two continued towards Leeds. Several minutes later one of the suspect motorcycles showed back up to the scene of the traffic stop. 

Trooper Nadeau saw the suspect motorcycle did not have a registration plate. Trooper Nadeau attempted to stop the motorcycle and the driver took off at a high rate of speed. Trooper Nadeau pursued the motorcycle for several miles until speeds were to dangerous to continue the pursuit. The driver continued to do multi vehicle passes in the oncoming lane and his speeds were clocked at 154mph. 

Several minutes later Trooper Nadeau located the suspect motorcycle in the town of Leeds. The driver again refused to stop and continued south bound on Route 202, towards Lewiston. Deputies in the Greene area clocked the suspect motorcycle at 135mph and started a pursuit. The pursuit was quickly terminated due to the speeds.

Hours later, Trooper Nadeau and several Deputies were able to identify the suspect as Devin Jeselskis of Lewiston. Mr. Jeselskis was located standing in the driveway of a residence in Auburn. After a short foot chase, Mr. Jelelski ran to a near by apartment building. Mr. Jeselskis surrendered from the apartment building and was taken into custody by Trooper Nadeau without incident. 

Mr. Jeselskis was charged by MSP with the following crimes:
1.    Eluding Class C Felony 
2.    Driving to Endanger Class C Felony 
3.    Criminal Speed Class E
4.    Operating without a License Class E
5.    Operating after Suspension Class E
6.    Several traffic citations 

A special “Thank You” to the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this case. This incident is still under investigation and the Sheriff’s Office also charged Mr. Jeselskis with several crimes.
 

Maine State Police and Kittery and York Police were involved in pursuing an erratic vehicle, and are also investigating a fatal accident that occurred on I-95 in southern Maine. 

On Jan. 12, 2021, around 1:17 p.m.,  Maine State Police were involved in a pursuit on the Maine Turnpike southbound from Kennebunk through York which ended with the suspect crashing in the center median at approximately mile marker 4 (near the border of York and Kittery).  This event slowed and stopped traffic in both the north and southbound lanes. Authorities received at least 6 complaints of erratic operation prior to the pursuit. Three law enforcement officers received minor injuries –  two as a result of the pursuit and one while taking the driver of the erratic vehicle into custody. The driver was transported to an area hospital for minor injuries and charges are expected.

At approximately 2:11 p.m., traffic had slowed considerably and stopped in both the north and southbound lanes. A vehicle travelling in the northbound lane was struck from behind by a tractor trailer and pushed under the stopped tractor trailer in front of it. This is a fatal accident and police are working to contact next of kin, clear the scene, and reconstruct the crash. The District Attorney’s Office will review this crash once the investigation is complete. I95 Northbound will be closed until further notice and traffic is being diverted to exit 3. Please seek an alternate route.

This is all the information available at this time, we will update as more information becomes available.

The Commercial Vehicle Unit, Kittery Police Department, York Police Department, and York Fire assisted in both the pursuit and fatal incidents.
 

An Augusta man is facing charges after a Trooper clocked him travelling over 100 miles per hour. 

On July 9, 2020, at approximately 11:30 p.m., a Trooper from Troop D was travelling westbound on Route 3 in Augusta when a vehicle came up behind them travelling at a high rate of speed. The Trooper clocked the vehicle on radar doing 109 MPH in a 50 MPH zone. A brief chase ensued, ending on Anthony Avenue in Augusta. 

The driver, Nathan Hansell, 38, of Augusta, was taken into custody and charged with Operating Under the Influence, Criminal Speed, Possession of Schedule W Drugs, and Eluding a Law Enforcement Officer. Hansell’s bail was set at $2500 cash. 

LEWISTON, Maine – A Lewiston man is facing charges after fleeing from police in Lewiston.

At approximately 11:40 a.m., on July 9, 2020, Tr. Ryan Phillips was in contact with agents from Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) who were requesting his assistance in stopping a motor vehicle in Lewiston.  The vehicle was suspected to be operated by Chad Nichols, 31, of Lewiston.  Nichols was a suspect of drug trafficking, had a revoked license and two active felony warrants for his arrest.  Tr. Phillips intercepted the vehicle near the intersection of Russell St. and College St. in Lewiston and initiated a traffic stop.  While the Trooper was approaching the vehicle, the operator took off, leading Tr. Phillips on a high-speed pursuit northbound on College Rd. into a rural part of Lewiston and into the town of Greene.  

The chase continued into Greene, when the suspect vehicle turned onto Rt. 202 headed back toward Lewiston.  Lewiston Police officers set up spikes on Rt. 202 near the Lewiston/Greene line, but the deployment was not effective.  As the chase continued back into populated area of Lewiston, the decision was made to terminate the pursuit by Sgt. Joseph Bureau.  Simultaneously, Pilot Supervisor Jerry Pearson was airborne and had a visual on the suspect vehicle.  Pearson led responding units to that vehicle and provided a description of the suspect, as the suspect fled on foot into a wooded area off Tall Pines Drive. Cpl. Jonathan Russell and K-9 Gus began a track at that location.

MDEA agents received a tip that Nichols had been picked up and later located him in a vehicle on Scribner Blvd, near the intersection of Webster St.  Lewiston PD officers were first on scene at that location and initiated a felony stop.  Nichols was taken into custody at this location and was charged with Eluding, Driving to Endanger, Criminal Speed, and Operating after Revocation Habitual Offender.