A Vassalboro man’s bail was set at $3,000 on six charges Friday after leading State Police on a high speed chase through town in a borrowed truck two days prior.
Timothy D. Klepser, 20, was arrested Wednesday on charges of Class C eluding, Class C reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, Class E criminal speed, Class D and Class C unlawful possession of scheduled W drugs and Class E possession of scheduled Z drugs.
Trooper Seth Allen wrote in an affidavit that while he was on patrol on Route 32 in China he saw a green Chevrolet pickup truck traveling toward Vassalboro that had a Maine registration plate but no inspection sticker. Allen said he then turned on his lights and sirens and began to follow the truck.
According to Allen,
When Allen caught up to the truck, the driver, who was later identified as Klepser, attempted to elude him, pulling into an oncoming lane, passing vehicles and speeding away at a high rate of speed. Klepser was traveling at 88 mph in a 45 mph zone and 80 in a 35, where the driver frequently lost control of the vehicle. Klepser nearly struck a vehicle at the intersection of Bog Road and Route 32 as well as the Country Store on Main Street.
Allen decided to end his pursuit of the truck as the situation became more dangerous. Instead, he drove to the Webber Pond residence of Matthew Low, the registered owner of the truck.
Upon Allen’s arrival, he saw that the truck was behind the mobile home, he wrote in the affidavit. He could hear a male inside who he said “sounded very upset saying that he was going away, and that he almost hit somebody walking with a kid.”
Allen announced himself as State Police and ordered the occupants of the mobile home to come outside. An adult male and female opened the door and directed Low to go outside and meet with Allen. Low told Allen that he had been sleeping and that Klepser had been driving the car.
Klepser went outside with Allen and admitted that “what he had done was dumb.” Klepser had apparently been driving the truck to Fieldstone Quick Stop to put fuel in it, but when he saw Allen following him “he panicked and ran.”
He apologized for driving on a suspended license and for “endangering many people.” Allen wrote that he found a rubber glove finger containing two Clonazepam 1 milligram tabs, a partial Suboxone strip and two Hydrocodone-Alprazolam tabs on Klepser after Klepser admitted to having some pills in his pants. When they arrived at Kennebec County Jail, Klepser was found to be in possession of one more Hydrocodone.
Klepser’s three Class C charges are felony charges that are each punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
A clerk at the Kennebec County Jail said Klepser was not able to plead to the felony charges at Friday’s arraignment and did not know if he pleaded to any of the misdemeanor charges.
By Friday afternoon Klepser’s status showed that his bail had not been posted and he was still being held at the jail.
Emily Higginbotham — 861-9239
ehigginbotham@centralmaine.com
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