NORRIDGEWOCK — A Norridgewock man faces several charges after allegedly stealing a vehicle Tuesday evening and leading police on a chase.
Lawrence R. Knowles
Lawrence R. Knowles, 54, of Norridgewock, faces charges from multiple agencies, which include eluding an officer, a felony charge; passing a police roadblock; failure to stop for an officer; two counts of violations of conditions of release; and theft by unauthorized taking.
At the time of his arrest Wednesday, Knowles was out on bail following charges from a Dec. 22 incident, where police say he led officers on a 2.1 mile chase through Madison. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle on Dec. 22, Knowles took off and also tried to disable the police vehicle. Following this incident, Knowles was charged with refusing to stop for a law enforcement officer, eluding an officer and attaching false plates.
Somerset County Chief Deputy Michael Mitchell said in a phone call Wednesday afternoon that Knowles may also be facing charges from Kennebec County following an alleged chase through parts of Kennebec and Somerset counties.
Mitchell said that the incidents began on Tuesday evening, when the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office was alerted about a stolen vehicle just before 11 p.m. The vehicle, a 2005 white Dodge 2500 pickup, was sitting in a driveway on Wilder Hill Road with the keys in the cab of the vehicle.
Around this same time, Mitchell said, a vehicle that had been reported stolen in Bangor had been found in the same vicinity.
“To back up further, while they’re investigating this missing truck, they found another vehicle in the vicinity, a Chevrolet Cruze, reported stolen out of Bangor,” Mitchell said. “One of our deputies was looking for Lawrence Knowles to serve some papers to him and when they talked to him by telephone, Knowles told him ‘I’m in Bangor. When I’m back I will contact you.'”
On Wednesday morning, Mitchell said that a call came into the sheriff’s office reporting that Knowles had been seen operating a white pickup truck on Main Street in Norridgewock near Ainslie’s II, heading toward Fairfield. Law enforcement agencies had been alerted about the stolen vehicle the previous evening and were alerted again that the vehicle had been spotted in Norridgewock and to be on the lookout.
Mitchell said that by the time officers arrived, the vehicle was gone. He said that State Police later spotted the vehicle, and he heard that the vehicle had been stopped near Rome Road in Mercer.
“We can confirm that (Maine State Police) assisted with a chase,” Katy England, spokesperson for Maine State Police, said in an email. “Maine State Police were able to get the vehicle stopped, no one was injured, suspect is in custody.”
Multiple requests for additional information from Maine State Police were not returned Wednesday evening. State Police did not provide details on where the vehicle was located, where the chase happened or how the vehicle was stopped.
“It sounds like he was stopped on Rome Road, Route 2, in Mercer,” Mitchell said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Knowles had been booked at Somerset County Jail.
The Bangor car theft is still under investigation.
Mitchell also said that vehicle owners should be mindful of their vehicles and lock them securely when they’re not being operated.
“As a safety notice, if you’re going to leave your vehicle in the driveway, take the keys from the vehicle and lock the door,” Mitchell said.
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