A Westbrook man was charged with operating under the influence Friday night after crashing into an ice cream shop in the city and fleeing the scene, authorities said.
David A. Batchelor, 50, was arrested after a K9 unit tracked him to a residence on Stroudwater Place.
David A. Batchelor Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office
Batchelor is accused of crashing into a retaining wall in front of the Dairy Queen on Main Street. Witnesses reported the crash around 9:18 p.m., Westbrook police said in a news release posted on Facebook.
The driver fled the scene, causing debris to hit a nearby vehicle and slightly injure an occupant, police said. Moments after police got the call, witnesses spotted the same vehicle crash into a ditch in the area of Stroudwater and Forest streets. Witnesses said they saw the male driver flee into the woods, according to police.
A K9 unit tracked the suspect’s scent to a residence a quarter-mile away, police added. Officers tried to make contact with anyone inside the home, but were unsuccessful. Just after they left the house, a neighbor called police to report the suspect had fled through the neighbor’s backyard.
Officers returned to the home, and after an investigation Batchelor was arrested and charged with two counts of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident, driving to endanger, unsworn falsification and operating under the influence.
Batchelor has been released on bail from the Cumberland County Jail, according to a jail official.
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