AUBURN – A home invasion and armed robbery Wednesday resulted in the arrest of two of the home’s occupants and three robbery suspects, who crashed their getaway car into a snowbank.

“This might never have been reported,” deputy police Chief Jason Moen said. “You had a drug dealer getting robbed.”

A passing police patrol foiled the crime.

Police Sgt. Eric Audette was driving along Washington Street about 11:03 a.m. when he noticed two men, later identified as Tyrell Gary, 22, and Ymmar Dockery, 23, both of 210 Summer St. in Auburn, running down Washington Street wearing hoods and surgical gloves.

Moments after he pulled over to question them, Zachariah Corneau, 22, also of 210 Summer St., Auburn, pulled up in a sedan. Dockery jumped in, Gary hopped into the driver’s seat, and they peeled away.

The chase led Audette, other Auburn officers and three Androscoggin County sheriff’s deputies along Hardscrabble and Hotel roads before the car turned onto Merrow Road and slid onto a snowbank at the entrance to Western Maine Transportation’s headquarters.

Police caught Corneau and Dockery at the scene. Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Deputy Denis Sampson and Auburn Officer Scott Laliberte caught Gary, who had fled on foot to Fletcher Road about 200 yards away.

For a time, police worried that a fourth suspect might be loose and armed. Using an automated telephone warning, police alerted neighbors to stay in their homes while they searched. Officer Scott Corey and his dog, Inka, tried to pick up a scent but discontinued the search a few minutes later.

Police traced the men back to a modest gray house at 1393 Washington St. Armed with a 9 mm handgun, Gary and Dockery were looking for cash and drugs there, Moen said. The pair broke in shortly before 11 a.m., held Michael Harvey, 28, at gunpoint and then shoved him around. When they were done, they used duct tape to restrain him and another occupant of the home. Police did not identify the second person because they were victims of a crime.

Gary and Dockery left with some jewelry and marijuana, Moen said. Then, they dumped the gun in the snow, where police later discovered it.

Police filed multiple charges against Gary, Dockery, Corneau, Harvey and a roommate, Aaron Martin, 33, who was not present during the incident.

Gary and Dockery were each charged with robbery, burglary and two counts of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon. Gary was also charged with two counts of assault, eluding an officer and operating without a license. Corneau was charged with operating after license revoked, robbery and violation of bail conditions. He was out on bail in connection with drug trafficking charges.

Dockery and Gary were being held at the Androscoggin County Jail on Wednesday on $25,000 cash bail. Corneau was being held on $10,000 cash bail.

Harvey and Martin were charged with cultivation and trafficking in marijuana. They are being held on $500 cash bail.

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