LEWISTON – An Auburn man faces multiple charges after allegedly leading a Lewiston police corporal on a high-speed chase up and down a section of the Maine Turnpike on Saturday night.
Brandon Sanford, 23, of 24 High St., Auburn, was charged with operating after suspension, eluding a police officer, driving to endanger and attaching false plates to a motor vehicle.
It wasn’t the first time Sanford has had a brush with police over his driving. Police Lt. Tom Avery said Sanford has a record of driving after his license was suspended, and also had attempted to elude a police officer at least once in the past.
Sanford was arrested by police Cpl. Jeff Parshall about 11:30 Saturday after crashing a late model Honda into guardrails while trying to exit the Turnpike at Auburn. The crash flattened two of the car’s tires, Avery said.
Sanford was taken to Central Maine Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries suffered in the crash, Avery said, then taken to the Androscoggin County Jail. He was later bailed out.
Avery said Parshall took up the chase after seeing Sanford’s Honda and two other cars – another Honda and a Kia – racing on Lisbon Street at about 10:30 p.m.
Parshall joined in pursuit and the cars shot through a stop sign at the Alfred Plourde Parkway and then got onto the Turnpike. An orange Honda and the Kia quickly pulled over, Avery said, but the second Honda driven by Sanford kept going.
Parshall opted to continue pursuing that car, Avery said, while radioing for assistance from local and State Police.
The chase kept going south until just before the Gray tollbooths, Avery said, when Sanford’s Honda pulled a U-turn and headed back toward the Twin Cities.
Speeds reached 100 miles per hour at times, Avery said, but noted traffic was light and the weather wasn’t such as to discourage the pursuit.
The lieutenant said police are still hoping to identify the drivers of the orange Honda and the Kia, and asked that anyone knowing the drivers contact police.
Avery added that police are continuing to target people suspected of driving after suspension and other offenders.
“We know there are those out there who are doing it, and we’re going after them,” he said.
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