Staff Writer
CARIBOU — New Sweden man awaits his Nov. 16 court date after inciting a car chase and multiple charges on Oct. 1. Just after 9 a.m., Caribou Police Officer Jason Matheson stated that he was on patrol when he saw a 1988 Dodge Dakota that he believed to be speeding. Matheson started to pursue the vehicle; Edward Dunne, 41, of New Sweden, was driving the Dakota and decided that he wasn’t going to stop, driving 40 mph in a 25 mph zone, according to Matheson.
Dunne allegedly sped up when he realized he was being pursued; the Caribou officer slackened the chase as Dunne’s Dakota approached a school zone. According to Matheson, Dunne then ditched his vehicle on Elmwood Avenue and took off on foot. About this time, Caribou police Officer Doug Bell joined the pursuit, and found Dunne a short time later “hiding” in the neighborhood.
According to Caribou Police Chief Mike Gahagan, Dunne was trying to blend into the surroundings by leaning against a fence and nonchalantly asking the officers if they’d caught the guy. Matheson stated that Dunne was uncooperative — not answering many questions and refusing to submit to a test designed to determined whether or not he was under the influence of intoxicants. Because Dunne refused to voluntarily take the test, he was automatically charged with operating under the influence.
Aside from being charged with eluding an officer, which is a felony, Dunne is also being charged with operating without a license, reckless conduct with a motor vehicle, failure to register a motor vehicle, violation of conditions of release, criminal mischief, speeding and failure to stop at a stop sign.
Dunne was taken to the Aroostook County Jail.
