AUGUSTA — A Boothbay man, who initially drove away from a traffic stop at speeds up to 107 mph before fleeing on foot through a briar patch, was sentenced Tuesday to 88 days in jail.

Kennebec County Sheriff’s Deputy Elijah Curtis spotted Bryan S. Black, 53, driving Aug. 18, 2023, on Route 3. It was 14 days after Curtis had pulled Black over in the same vehicle for having expired temporary registration plates.

Black initially stopped but took off in his pickup truck when approached by Curtis, speeding and passing vehicles in the breakdown lane, according to Assistant District Attorney Michael Madigan.

After Black pleaded guilty to several crimes Tuesday at the Capital Judicial Center, Madigan explained Black had traveled about 3 miles before pulling into a quarry where he crashed into a metal gate, flipping his truck.

Madigan said Black then tried to run off on foot, but ran into a briar patch, or thicket. He then climbed up on top of his truck and dove over the bushes. Curtis, who was the only police officer on the scene, did not pursue Black further on foot.

Black was ultimately tracked down and arrested as Curtis recognized him from the previous stop, and police found Black’s identification and wallet at the scene of the crash.

In a deal with prosecutors, Black pleaded guilty to eluding an officer, refusing to submit to arrest or detention, violation of condition of release, and driving to endanger. He also pleaded guilty to several other crimes involving separate incidents.

He was sentenced, for the chase incident-related charges, to five years imprisonment, with all but 88 days of that suspended, and two years probation. Black, according to Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy, has already served 88 days in jail while being held on the charges against him.

That means if Black complies with the terms of his probation, he will serve no more time. But if he violates the terms of his probation, or commits a new crime, he could face up to the remaining time on his five-year sentence.

Black was also sentenced, for the Aug. 4, 2023, stop by Curtis, on a charge of unlawful possession of drugs, after Curtis had pulled him over for allegedly driving a vehicle with an expired temporary registration. During that traffic stop in Chelsea, Curtis spotted a crack pipe that fell onto the ground when Black got out of his vehicle, and later saw Black try to conceal 4.4 grams of crack cocaine while sitting on his tailgate, according to Madigan.

In that case, Murphy sentenced Black to two years imprisonment, but with all of that fully suspended, and an additional two years of probation. The end result of both sentences is Black will be on probation for two years for the chase-related infractions, during which if he violates his conditions of probation, he could serve, in addition to the 88 days he’s already served, the rest of his five year sentence. And if, after that two-year period, he violates the terms of his probation in the drug possession case, in the following two years of probation, he could be required to serve an additional two years in prison.

As part of the plea agreement, two charges, violating condition of release and unlawful possession of drugs, were dismissed by prosecutors.

He also pleaded guilty to: refusing to submit to arrest and violating condition of release, Aug. 31 in Augusta; operating under the influence and violating condition of release, Aug. 3 in Augusta; theft, April 20, 2023, in Augusta; and unlawful possession of drugs and violating condition of release, in Vassalboro. He was ordered to pay $267.24 in restitution to Big Apple, in relation to the Augusta theft charge.