BRIDGTON — A Naples man died in a single-car crash Sunday afternoon while trying to elude an officer, according to Bridgton police.

Travis W. Horan, 22, was driving on Willis Park Road at about 12:26 p.m. Sunday when Bridgton police officer Josh Muise attempted to stop him for speeding. Horan sped away, turned onto Route 302 and passed several vehicles on the right as he drove east. Police Chief Kevin Schofield said Horan passed the Lake Region Middle School athletic fields where witnesses said they saw the vehicle passing cars before turning left onto Kansas Road.

According to Schofield, Horan lost control of his vehicle, which went airborne and struck a tree, knocking it down. The crash occurred before Muise caught up to him.

“At this stage of the investigation, excessive speed is a factor in the crash,” Schofield said. Investigators from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office are performing a crash reconstruction to find an official cause.

Horan’s license was suspended at the time of the crash.

treaves@sunjournal.com