PRESQUE ISLE (AP) – A Mapleton woman who allegedly stole an Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department cruiser and struck an officer who had arrested her for OUI was facing a string of charges linked to the incident in which gunshots were fired by police.

Jeanine Williams, 44, was charged with operating under the influence and unauthorized use of property and likely will be charged with escape, Sheriff James Madore said.

Responding to a report about a possible drunken driver, Sgt. Forrest Dudley spotted Williams at about 8 a.m. Tuesday in Mapleton. Dudley administered sobriety tests and determined that the woman was under the influence of drugs or alcohol – police would not specify which.

Dudley then handcuffed Williams and put her in the passenger seat of his cruiser, the sheriff said.

Police determined that while Dudley was interviewing a witness, Williams managed to maneuver herself so her hands were in front of her. She then allegedly got into the driver’s seat, hit the gas pedal and struck Dudley as she fled, Madore said.

At that point, Dudley – who was not seriously injured – pulled out his gun, the sheriff said.

“Knowing this person was impaired and had a total disregard for people – she ran him over so what would she do to the public? – and the fact that Dudley’s shotgun was in the vehicle, he attempted to stop the car by shooting twice at the tires as it was fleeing away,” Madore said.

“When we found the vehicle, the left rear tire was destroyed where it had been run on the rim, so it looked like he hit the tire.”

Because Dudley used “lethal force” in firing at the tires, the incident is automatically under review by Maine State Police, the sheriff said.

Several law enforcement agencies joined in the search for Williams, who was arrested without incident after being spotted getting out of a taxi near her apartment.

Madore said she was not wearing handcuffs, and police were not sure how she removed the restraints.

Police later found Dudley’s car hidden on an all-terrain-vehicle trail in Presque Isle, a few miles from where he first stopped Williams.

Information from: Bangor Daily News, http://www.bangornews.com