Rumford woman charged with speeding

TURNER — A Rumford woman remained jailed Wednesday, two days after police said they clocked her speeding in several locations along Route 4.

Heather Grant, 41, was being held at the Androscoggin County Jail on charges of criminal speeding and eluding police.

Police said at about 9:25 p.m. Monday, Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Deputy Victor Barr was running radar on Route 4 in Turner when he clocked a car moving at 88 mph in a 45 mph zone.

The car was stopped, police said, and Grant was issued a summons before being sent on her way.

A short time after the initial traffic stop, Sgt. Timothy Kachnovich radioed that he was trying to stop a vehicle on Route 4 in Turner and that the vehicle was failing to stop for him, according to chief deputy William Gagne. Barr joined Kachnovich and soon recognized the vehicle from the earlier stop.

The deputies terminated the pursuit shortly afterward, Gagne said.

But it wasn’t over.

“At approximately 12:05 a.m., Deputy Victor Barr was running radar near the Turner Plaza on Route 4 in Turner,” Gagne wrote in a news release.

“Deputy Barr clocked a vehicle traveling northbound at 89 mph in a posted 45 mph zone. Deputy Barr recognized this vehicle as the same one involved in both previous incidents and radioed to Sgt. Kachnovich for assistance. Deputy Barr began to follow the vehicle and the vehicle began to pass several other motorists and operate at high speeds.

“Both deputies felt the driver was attempting to make her way back to Rumford. As the vehicle turned onto Route 108 toward Canton they attempted another traffic stop but the suspect vehicle sped off reaching speeds over 100 mph. The deputies terminated the pursuit and notified the Rumford Police Department to be on the lookout.”

A short time later, officers from the Rumford Police Department reported they had the vehicle stopped, Gagne said. Deputy Barr responded to Rumford and took Grant into custody and charged her with criminal speed and eluding. Grant was also charged by the Rumford Police Department for failing to notify them she was carrying a concealed handgun.