PARIS – A man wanted by police jumped into a chilly river to escape arrest Friday night, and even a tracking dog could not pick up the scent on the riverbank where he might have climbed out.
Police stopped Robert A. Sprague, 49, of Paris on Friday night on Deering Street, and when Officer Nate Bowie did a check on Sprague’s passenger, Joseph A. Denbow, 40, of Paris he found Denbow was wanted on a warrant.
Denbow was initially cooperative as Bowie asked him to get out of the vehicle while he confirmed the warrant. But Denbow bolted before Bowie could handcuff him, running right into the Little Androscoggin River and making splashing noises as he swam into the darkness, according to police.
Bowie did not follow Denbow into the river because the water was cold and it was difficult to see, police said. Instead, a tracking dog was enlisted for help.
But rather than finding him along the river Friday night, police eventually tracked Denbow to his home the following night, where they discovered him huddled in a closet, police said.
Denbow was arrested on a charge of escape and a warrant alleging failure to pay fines for habitual motor vehicle offenses. His original bail was set at $200 cash, with $635 required by the warrant.
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