LEWISTON — A local man was behind bars Wednesday after police said he stole a motorcycle and led them on a chase before crashing in a backyard Tuesday night on Hamel Street.
Ryan Michael Bell, 37, was charged with theft, refusing to submit to arrest, failing to stop for police and driving after having been declared a habitual offender.
Police said an undercover officer working on Sabattus Street about 7:30 p.m. spotted the 2016 Harley-Davidson, which had been reported stolen from Grove Street just minutes before.
Police attempted to stop the biker, who sped away in an area of Sabattus Street near the intersection at East Avenue.
A witness said the rider attempted to turn onto Hamel Street but went wide and nearly struck the corner of an apartment house at Sabattus and Hamel streets. The rider went onto a lawn, lost control of the bike and dumped it just a few feet from a house.
The rider got up and ran off on foot, the witness said, but didn’t get far.
He was caught on Hamel Street, near Washington Street, and taken into custody.
Bell was taken to the Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn where he remained Wednesday on $1,000 cash bail.
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