POLAND — A driver was taken into protective custody Sunday evening after police chased a vehicle through Lewiston and Auburn and it crashed into a sign at a used car dealership in Poland, authorities said Monday.
The driver was transported to St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Lewiston for an “evaluation for a possible medical event,” Auburn Deputy Police Chief Timothy Cougle said Monday.
The driver’s name was not released by police.
Police received reports of a 2007 silver Volvo driving erratically and colliding with other vehicles in Lewiston shortly before 7 a.m., authorities said.
Lewiston police pursued the vehicle briefly, following through the area of Blake, Ash and Shawmut streets and as it drove the wrong way down some one-way streets, Lewiston Police Lt. Derrick St. Laurent said Monday.
Police had been called to the area of the Getty Mart on Lisbon Street in Lewiston for a report of a male who appeared to be distraught, St. Laurent said.
The man had reportedly climbed into a vehicle and began driving erratically, knocking over stop signs and crashing into vehicles, St. Laurent said.
Police located the vehicle and pursued it “for a short period of time” as it continued to strike vehicles and road signs and drove onto median strips, St. Laurent said.
Lewiston police stopped their pursuit when the vehicle crossed into Auburn, where Auburn police eventually picked up pursuit of the vehicle on Minot Avenue.
An Auburn patrol officer noticed the vehicle driving erratically and followed while a deputy from Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office joined the pursuit, authorities said Monday.
The Volvo caused minor damage to a vehicle it struck, but there were no injuries reported, Cougle said.
The pursuit ended when the vehicle crashed into a sign at Evergreen Auto Sales on Route 121 in Poland, authorities said.
Police and county deputies are continuing to investigate.
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