NORWAY – An Auburn woman weaved a path of destruction across two towns Thursday, mystifying police as they searched for her.

Kelly Croteau, 33, of 87 Manley Road was arrested on a charge of drunken driving after her car landed on a large pile of manure at the Oxford County Fairgrounds in Oxford, police said. She was reading a book.

The trail she cut to get there included two damaged cars and a drive across the school yard, parking lot, playground and then over a 3-foot granite wall at the Rowe school in Norway, police said.

“It was never really a chase,” said Norway Police Sgt. Rob Federico. “We never saw her. She hit and run a few vehicles and we kind of followed the trail of broken cars.”

Norway officer Warren “Duffy” Ellsworth said 10 law enforcement agents were involved in the search. He said officers in the area were initially alerted that a blond woman with a dog in her car was driving erratically somewhere between Poland and Oxford on Route 26 and reports of near misses with other cars.

He said the report was made by a motorist using a cell phone and the transmission was spotty.

Police believed they were looking for a silver Dodge Neon.

Croteau drove a silver Kia.

She was initially spotted in Norway by Paris police officer Harry Simms at the intersection of Fair and Paris streets, according to Duffy.

He said as Simms made a turn to get behind her, Croteau sped through the intersection. Simms was distracted by Elaine Newell, who was frantically waving her arms.

She told him that the silver car just ran into the back of her Ford sports utility vehicle.

Because of heavy traffic, Simms could not clear the intersection quickly and he lost sight of the car.

Federico and Paris Police Sgt. Michael Dailey were in the area in separate cars and headed to the scene.

Croteau passed Dailey, turned down Marston Street and ducked into the parking lot of the Guy E. Rowe Elementary School, Dailey said.

He stopped, backed up and had to stop again as Jennifer Raudonis, waved him over to say the silver car sideswiped her.

Dailey went into the parking lot, but could not see Croteau.

“A witness came up and said she drove over the wall in the front of the school,” Dailey said.

Ellsworth said after reconstructing the event, that Croteau drove around the south end of the school, apparently following the fence trying to find a place to exit.

“She knocked over a 6-foot piece of granite when she went over the wall,” Ellsworth said. “She drove across the sidewalk and missed a pole by 6 inches.”

Croteau then headed down Main Street in Norway to Route 26 and entered the Oxford County Fairgrounds from Pottle Road.

Ellsworth said she drove through a gate left open for only a short period of time by workers.

“They didn’t see her and locked the gate when they left,” Ellsworth said.

A groundskeeper called Oxford police saying he saw a car driving around the softball field.

Lt. Jon Tibbetts arrived at the fairgrounds.

“He found her reading a book, on a large mound of manure, unable to move,” Duffy said. “She was high bridged.”

Tibbetts arrested Croteau on a charge of operating under the influence.

Dailey transported her to the Oxford County Jail and gave her a Breathalyzer test.

“She registered a 0.18, over twice the limit,” Dailey said.

He said she received six other summonses: Two counts of leaving the scene of a property damage accident, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, criminal mischief, trespass by a motor vehicle and driving to endanger

Duffy estimated the damage to Newell’s SUV at $500 and Raudonis’ Buick at $1,000.

He said he did not have estimates to the damage to the school yard and softball field.

The rear door on the driver’s side of Croteau’s car was bent and the window was blown out.

“The dog was happy when he saw us. He was happy to be out of the car,” Duffy said. “We were thinking of charging her with cruelty to animals.”

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