CANTON — A Jay man has been charged with stealing a vehicle from Jay and leading police on a chase through four towns at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour Sunday.

Maine State Police Trooper Alan Levy submitted his case to the District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday and prosecutors issued warrants against Edward Barbioni Jr., 31. The charges include eluding an officer, driving to endanger, possessing a stolen vehicle and criminal speed, Lt. Walter Grzyb said Wednesday.

Barbioni, formerly of East Dixfield, was arrested by warrant on those charges at the Franklin County Detention Center in Farmington.

Trooper Keith Barton arrested Barbioni on Tuesday on four outstanding warrants unrelated to the chase when he was released from Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington.

The stolen vehicle case began Friday when a woman started her 2008 Ford Escape in her driveway in North Jay to warm it up, went inside and then saw it being driven off. She reported it to Jay police, who notified other police agencies.

On Sunday, a person at the Big Apple store in Turner recognized it from a post on Facebook. The vehicle and license plate matched the description given by Jay police, Maine State Police trooper Alan Levy said Monday.

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Levy phoned Trooper Barton, who went to Cumberland Farms in Livermore Falls to see if the vehicle came up Route 4 and crossed the bridge from Livermore to Livermore Falls.

Levy said he waited near Long Green Variety on Route 4 in Livermore near the intersection of Route 108. He spotted the SUV traveling north on Route 4 and tried to stop it, but it pulled around his cruiser by driving on the grass.

The SUV stopped to let two passengers out and took off, Levy said. The driver sped off and led police on a chase through Turner, Livermore, Jay and ended in Canton when the vehicle pulled onto a dead-end road.

Levy said the chase reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour and went for nearly 30 miles.

Barbioni had medical issues not related to the chase and was taken by ambulance to Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington.

dperry@sunjournal.com


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