Casco man charged with domestic assault, criminal speeding

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Matthew Burnham

CASCO — A Casco man was arrested and charged on Monday for six separate crimes, including domestic violence assault, criminal speeding, and operating without a license, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office (CCSO).

Matthew Burnham, 20, of 21 Shadow Lane, was also charged with obstructing a crime to be reported, criminal mischief, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

According to the Sheriff's department, it responded to the above residence around 11:50 a.m. Monday for a domestic call. Before the deputies arrived, Burnham fled the residence in a 2006 Dodge Caravan belonging to the assault victim, and headed east on Route 302 in Casco.

Deputies believe that Burnham passed the responding units while they were en route to the residence, and, fearing he'd be caught, Burnham accelerated at a high rate of speed after passing the deputies.

According to a press release, deputies did not attempt to stop the vehicle, because during the time, they had very limited information regarding the call, including what Burnham was driving.

About an hour later, on Roosevelt Trail, Burnham lost control of the vehicle and veered off the road, causing the vehicle to go end over end, before crashing into a parked Chevy Avalanche and coming to rest. According to the report, Burnham was extricated from the vehicle by Casco Firefighters and EMS. 

Burnham was then transported to Bridgton Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The domestic assault victim did not require medical attention, reported the CCSO.

The crash is currently being investigated by the CCSO Reconstruction Team. The domestic assault is also ongoing in investigation.