THOMASTON — A high speed police pursuit that started in Thomaston on Tuesday morning was soon called off as the risk of serious injury to others became too high. 

Within hours after a head-on collision on Main Street jumpstarted a very busy day for Thomaston PD, Sgt. Chris Hansen and Thomaston EMS were called to the parking lot behind the Business Block for a report of a person passed out in a parked vehicle. The man was conscious and breathing after emergency personnel arrived. However, the man tried to provide an obviously false name to Hansen. According to Hansen, as Hansen attempted to ween the correct name from the individual, a paramedic was standing at the open driver’s side door while an EMT was standing at the opposite door. The man then started the silver Audi and sped off, allowing the door to hit the medic in the leg and ribs; the other side of the car hit and bruised the EMT. Both now have bruises and abrasions, but are otherwise fine, according to Hansen.

Typically, Thomaston PD does not engage in high speed pursuits. However, Hansen had just witnessed assault on an emergency medical responder and eluding an officer, both Class C felonies. As Hansen pursued through the back streets of Thomaston at 50 miles per hour, he estimated that the offender’s vehicle hit speeds of 90 mph on Knox Street and over the railroad tracks on Gould Street, kicking up plumes of dust that decreased visibility of anyone behind the offending car before the car sped up Dexter Street and turned right on Old County Road.

Knox County Sheriff’s deputies engaged in the pursuit for about 30 seconds, according to Hansen.

A Rockland officer barely had time to process when the car flew by him on Old County Road, heading toward Route 17 and the S-curves near the Rockland-Rockport town line. Due to the extreme danger to others with the Route 17 intersection and the S-curves, Hansen pulled the plug on the pursuit. 

Having learned the driver’s true identity, Hansen has reviewed the multiple felonies already accumulated by the individual – failing to appear in court in relation to drug trafficking – and will be adding 17 more traffic violations, including blowing through multiple stop signs and two red lights.