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PRESQUE ISLE - A Mapleton woman was behind bars Tuesday after she
allegedly stole a cruiser from the Aroostook County Sheriff's Department
and struck an officer in an attempt to escape, according to the sheriff.
Jeanine Williams, 44, of Mapleton was arrested and charged with operating
under the influence, unauthorized use of property, and likely will be
charged with escape, Sheriff James P. Madore said Tuesday.
Williams received the charges the second time police handcuffed her.
Sgt. Forrest Dudley of the Sheriff's Department first encountered Williams
around 8 a.m. Tuesday in the Smith Road-State Road area of Mapleton after
his agency received a report of a possible drunken driver.
Dudley administered sobriety tests and determined the woman was under
the influence of drugs or alcohol - police would not say which. He then
handcuffed her and put her in the passenger seat of his cruiser, the
sheriff said.
The agency's policy is to take people into custody by handcuffing them
and placing them in the front seat of the car where they can "keep an
eye on them." Deputy vehicles do not have cages to separate the front
and back seats.
Police determined that while Dudley was interviewing a witness, Williams
was able to maneuver herself so her hands were in front of her. She then
allegedly got into the driver's seat, hit the gas pedal and struck Dudley
as she fled, Madore said.
At that point, the sheriff said, Dudley pulled out his gun.
"Knowing this person was impaired and had a total disregard for
people - she ran him over so what would she do to the public? - and the
fact that Dudley's shotgun was in the vehicle, he attempted to stop the
car by shooting twice at the tires as it was fleeing away," Madore
said. "When we found the vehicle, the left rear tire was destroyed
where it had been run on the rim, so it looked like he hit the tire."
The Maine State Police Criminal Investigation Division is investigating
the incident because Dudley used "lethal force" when he fired
shots at the car, Madore said.
Aside from the tire, the car was undamaged. Madore said the gun in the
back seat appeared to be untouched. He added that Dudley was not seriously
injured in the incident but did visit The Aroostook Medical Center later
Tuesday to be checked out.
Once Williams fled, several law enforcement agencies converged on the area
to offer assistance, including the Maine State Police, Presque Isle Police
Department, State Fire Marshal's Office, U.S. Border Patrol and Maine
Warden Service.
"As soon as the first officer got there and picked up Dudley, we
started coordinating where to look and determining where she could
go," Madore said.
Police found Williams after witnesses reported seeing her get out of a
taxi near her Mapleton apartment. Aroostook County sheriff's Deputy Mike
Montpetit and other officers arrested Williams without incident. Madore
said Williams was not wearing handcuffs when police apprehended her, and
they were not sure how she removed the restraints.
Police later found Dudley's car in Presque Isle hidden on the
all-terrain-vehicle trail near the middle school a few miles from where
Dudley first stopped Williams, Madore said.
They also found the cabdriver involved and learned that he had picked up
Williams near the school.
Montpetit and Assistant District Attorney Carrie Linthicum will review the
case and determine all of Williams' charges, Madore said.
Police did not have information about Williams' criminal record Tuesday
afternoon.
The sheriff expected Williams to make her first appearance in court today. |