MADISON — A Norridgewock man was arrested on three charges on Tuesday morning after an officer attempted to pull him over for speeding and the man tried to ram into the officer’s vehicle, police said.

“We are fortunate that nobody else was involved in this,” Somerset County Chief Deputy Michael Mitchell said. “It could have been catastrophic if other vehicles were involved.”

Mitchell said that around 8:44 a.m., Deputy Craig Dyer saw a 2002 Chevy Tahoe on White School House Road heading toward downtown Madison, traveling between 65-70 mph. The speed limit in the area, near Madison Area Memorial High School, was a 15 mph school zone.

Dyer then attempted to pull the vehicle over for speeding and the vehicle took off. The driver, Lawrence Richard Knowles, 54, of Norridgewock, took off in his vehicle southbound on White School House Road for about 2.1 miles with speeds reaching 70 mph, Mitchell said.

At one point during the chase, Knowles stopped his vehicle in the middle of the travel lane and put it in reverse to attempt to disable the police vehicle. From there, Knowles attempted to speed away again but lost control and went into the ditch, according to Mitchell. Knowles attempted to run in the travel lane and was arrested.

Knowles was charged with refusing to stop for a law enforcement officer, eluding an officer and attaching false plates. Each vehicle received minor damages from the incident.