A fugitive wanted by New Hampshire police for allegedly abducting a woman at gunpoint earlier this month was apprehended Monday morning by Portland police.
Portland police officers arrested 34-year-old Peter M. Curtis of Portland after they were called to Sherman Street to check on the well-being of a man seen sleeping on a pickup truck, according to a release from interim Police Chief F. Heath Gorham.
Curtis was sought by Brentwood, New Hampshire, police in connection with the abduction. Brentwood police said in a release last week that the adult female victim was not harmed.
The incident in Portland began around 9:30 a.m. when an officer tried to wake Curtis. The pickup truck was reported stolen in Portland on Aug. 5.
Curtis fled in the stolen truck, and a pursuit followed with Curtis driving the wrong way down Congress Street, police said. Curtis turned onto Frederic Street, which is a dead end, before striking a police cruiser. He drove back to Congress Street and struck an occupied vehicle, injuring the driver. Curtis eventually was taken into custody.
Curtis was also being sought by the U.S. Marshal’s Service on an arrest warrant issued May 31. The Marshal’s Service said Curtis has a history of arrests on charges including assault, burglary, drugs, larcenies and trafficking prison contraband.
Portland police said that Curtis is wanted in several jurisdictions on kidnapping and criminal threatening with deadly weapon charges. He faces charges in Portland of eluding a police officer, operating after suspension (habitual offender), unauthorized use of property, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and leaving the scene of a personal injury crash.
Following his arrest, Curtis was transported to Maine Medical Center for evaluation, after which he was to be taken to Cumberland County Jail.
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