High speed chase ends in crash, no injuries

Lucky to be alive Photo:

Joshua Mains, 27, of Buxton, was charged with eluding an officer and other offenses, after being clocked at 125 on the turnpike.

PORTLAND — State police say a man reached speeds of more than 125 miles-per-hour on the Maine Turnpike early Tuesday morning.

According to State Police Sergeant Paul Christianson, of Troop G, around 2 a.m., a radar patrol unit on the turnpike saw a Honda sedan pass his location at 91 miles-per-hour in a 65 mph zone.  The officer, Trooper Bernard Campbell,  gave chase.

Christianson said that after Campbell switched on his blue flashing lights, the Honda driver switched his own headlights off, and sped up, eventually reaching 125 over a 10-mile section of the turnpike. As the speeding sedan neared Exit 46, commonly referred to as the "Jetport" exit, Portland and South Portland Police and other Troopers were getting into position to hurl "spike mats" on the road. Before they could be deployed, however, the car scraped a guard rail, spun out and hit the opposite guard rail, coming to a halt.

Police quickly arrested the driver, Joshua Mains, 27, of Buxton. He was unhurt after the crash and declined treatment, although Christianson said he complained of pain in his wrist.

Mains was charged with eluding a police officer, criminal speeding, operating after suspension of his license and driving to endanger — all of which are felonies, said Christianson.