JAY – A Livermore Falls police officer was slightly injured after the vehicle he was pursuing in a cruiser made a U-turn and the two vehicles collided Saturday night on Riley Road in Jay.

Livermore Falls police arrested the man operating the sport utility vehicle, Raymond Niemi, 42, of Lewiston, on charges of failure to stop for an officer, driving to endanger, violation of condition of release, refusing to submit to arrest and as a habitual offender. Niemi was also held on an outstanding warrant, Livermore Falls police Chief Ernest Steward Jr. said.

Livermore Falls’ 2004 Chevy Impala cruiser had an estimated $4,500 damage, while Niemi’s 1988 Ford Bronco had an estimated $2,500 in damage, said Jay police Chief Larry White Sr. His department investigated the accident.

Livermore Falls police received a complaint of erratic operating of a vehicle heading up Route 4 in the Livermore area toward Livermore Falls at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Steward said.

Livermore Falls officer Adam Sage went to wait by the bridge over the Androscoggin River near the Livermore town line.

The driver of the vehicle that had reported the erratic driving went by the cruiser and the one behind it took a sharp left, Steward said.

Sage attempted to stop the Bronco, Steward said, but the vehicle took off up Goding Road in Livermore and then turned onto Crash Road heading toward Jay.

At one point the officer broke off the pursuit because of foggy conditions, he said.

Sage continued on Crash Road and then noticed the Bronco near Riley Road intersection, Steward said.

The vehicle turned left onto Riley Road and headed toward Verso Paper’s Androscoggin Mill and continued going left around the mill. Sage pursued it.

Niemi’s SUV made a U-turn at the railroad tracks and was headed back down the road when the two vehicles collided, Steward said.

According to Jay police officer Steve Wilkinson’s accident report, after the Bronco turned around at the tracks, it was traveling east off the road in a dirt section, White said.

The cruiser, traveling west, went across the eastbound lane and traveled off the roadway, colliding with Niemi’s vehicle, which was accelerating at the time and trying to go around the cruiser, White said.

The left front of the cruiser struck the Bronco’s driver’s door and side, White said. The cruiser continued on to strike a metal fence, he said.

Ambulance personnel checked out both men at the scene, Steward said.

Sage, who was wearing a seat belt, suffered a minor cut above his eye when he bumped his head on the video console in the cruiser, Steward said.

An internal investigation is ongoing, he said.