BROWNFIELD – A 20-year-old driver told police he was “lucky” he wasn’t hurt when he drove 95 mph into a curve and barrel-rolled three times before landing upside down on Route 160 late Wednesday night.

“‘I like to drive fast,'” Patrick Dooley of Parsonsfield told Oxford County Sheriff’s Cpl. Tim Ontengco.

Ontengco had to swerve to avoid hitting the overturned black sedan on a blind curve in the middle of the road.

Dooley was found trapped and lying on the roof inside his father’s 1992 Honda Acura.

Ontengco said he spotted a car speeding away from him about 10:30 p.m. and followed it to try to clock its speed.

“We were pushing 100 mph on Route 160,” he said. He said he lost sight of it for a while, then “I came around a corner and saw some dust.”

There in his path was the car on its roof and sideways on the road.

“I had to take evasive action. I just missed the vehicle,” the officer said. “I stopped, turned round and I realized that he was laying in the car. The roof was crushed in. I could see him laying down on the roof. I thought he was killed right there.”

Ontengco said he checked Dooley, and “he was like, hey, how you doin’? I’m just hanging out here and catching my breath.'”

“Why in the world were you driving so fast?” Ontengco said he asked him.

“‘I saw you behind me and I thought you were my buddy and wanted to race,'” the officer said Dooley told him.

“‘I wasn’t driving 100. I was driving 95,'” the officer said the driver admitted.

The corporal said Dooley was speeding when he entered the corner, lost control and hit a dirt bank, which slowed his car. He then started tumbling.

“I think he probably barrel rolled” three times, he said. “When he hit the dirt it threw it all over the road,” creating a hazard to drive on and see through.

Fryeburg Rescue checked Dooley and found no injuries, the officer said.

“He was wearing his seat belt and that saved his life,” Ontengco said.

Dooley, he said, admitted, “‘Yeah, the seat belt saved my life. I’m lucky.'”

“And lucky I didn’t hit you,” Ontengco responded, explaining the situation of the blind corner, gravel on the road, dust in the air, and black car sideways in the middle of the road at night.

Dooley was taken to Oxford County Jail in Paris and booked on charges of operating after license suspension, driving to endanger, criminal speed of 95 mph in a 50 mph zone, violations for inspection, registration and insurance, and one inadequate tire. He is scheduled to appear in Bridgton District Court on June 8.

The car was demolished.

Fryeburg police and Maine State Police assisted Ontengco.