POLAND — A Maine State Police trooper on routine patrol Friday night says he interrupted a four-car drag race down Route 26 with speeds that reached 91 mph.

Trooper Nathan Jamo said he was traveling north at 9:30 p.m. when four cars passed him by Cyndi’s Dockside Restaurant heading south at 80 mph. He turned around and caught up with the group.

“Sure enough (when southbound became two lanes) they cranked it up to 91 mph in a 50 zone,” he said. “As soon as they saw my lights, one of the rear vehicles almost crashed. He kind of freaked out, didn’t know what to do. They were just driving like morons. They almost caused two crashes trying to slow down.”

Jamo said the drivers slowed enough that he passed the group, then blocked the roadway.

“I got the first two,” he said. “The last two saw what was happening, and they turned around and went the other way.”

Jon Conway, 21, of 6 Bluebird Drive in Poland and Garrett Foster, 21, of 4 Julie St. in Poland were charged with criminal speeding and driving to endanger.

“Both had been drinking but were not under the influence,” Jamo said.

A friend drove Foster’s vehicle home. As Conway’s vehicle was loaded to be towed, Jamo said he found a large bag of marijuana inside. “We could smell it coming out of the glove compartment.”

Charges are pending.

Jamo said it was unexpected, but nice, when another driver that the drag-racing group had passed stopped her car and thanked him.

Because it’s straight, wide and rural, he said that stretch of Route 26 is a road he worries about.

“Every Friday, Saturday, the out-of-staters are northbound doing 70, 75, and on Sunday, Monday they’re back southbound doing the same thing,” Jamo said. “People just don’t understand. Look, this is not the interstate system. If you have a head-on collision at these speeds, you guys aren’t going to survive.”

kskelton@sunjournal.com

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