WATERVILLE — A man was arrested Thursday evening after he eluded police, leading them on a brief chase before crashing his vehicle and fleeing on foot, according to police.
Malachai Baskins, 22, of Waterville, was charged with failing to stop for an officer, driving to endanger, violating conditions of release, operating without a license, aggravated criminal mischief, eluding an officer and failing to notify of a motor vehicle accident.
Waterville police Sgt. Scott Dumas said that the incident began to unfold Thursday evening shortly before 4:30 p.m., when Officer Ryan Dinsmore observed Baskins operating a 1998 Buick Sedan. Knowing that Baskins did not have a driver’s license, the officer attempted to pull the vehicle over.
“(Baskins) pulled into McDonald’s (on Main Street), did a loop around the building, and kept going — he didn’t stop,” Dumas said. “He kind of zig-zagged through town, he was in the Main Street and Brook Street area at one point and then came back down Main Street.”
The vehicle chase came to an end minutes later, when Baskins struck four vehicles at Thompson Volkswagen dealership on Main Street. He then fled on foot. He was apprehended shortly after in the woods near the George J. Mitchell School on Drummond Avenue. The entire incident was resolved in less than 10 minutes, Dumas said.
Baskins was arrested at the scene and taken to Kennebec County Correctional Facility in Augusta.
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