FAIRFIELD — Police chased a vehicle Monday morning that was reportedly reaching speeds of up to 100 mph in the Fairfield and Skowhegan area, but were unable to find the driver.

Fairfield police attempted to stop a car on Middle Road at about 10 a.m. Skowhegan police soon joined the chase that led them to Bigelow Hill Road, where the trail went cold.

Fairfield Police Chief Tom Gould said Officer Casey Dugas was on a routine stationary speed detail with radar when a car sped by him at 78 mph heading toward Skowhegan. Dugas activated his blue lights and followed, attempting to stop the car, but the driver took off at a high rate of speed.

Dugas gave chase, but backed off for safety reasons once they reached the area of Varney Road in Skowhegan, where Skowhegan police took over.

“The vehicle was still pulling away and it was getting too dangerous so he shut it down and notified Skowhegan,” Gould said. “I believe our estimate was 100 or 101 miles an hour.”

Three Skowhegan police cruisers, their blue lights flashing, searched for the car. They were followed slowly by an EMS ambulance without lights and siren, which had been in the area.

Gould said the vehicle was described as a black, older-style Ford Taurus passenger car. Police were unable to see the license plate number and the driver had not been found by late Monday afternoon.

Interim Skowhegan Police Chief Joel Cummings said his officers spotted the car briefly on South Factory Street, then lost sight of it as it turned up Main Street toward Bigelow Hill Road.

“We had eyes on him for 15 seconds,” he said. “We saw it go by, but we have no idea who it was.”

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Twitter:@Doug_Harlow

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