YORK — Police in Maine and New Hampshire are looking for Michael Gatcomb, 33, of Livermore Falls following a high-speed, pre-dawn chase on I-95 in New Hampshire.
According to police, at 12:15 a.m. Wednesday, New Hampshire State Trooper Matt Locke attempted to stop a gold-colored 2003 Hyundai Elantra traveling northbound on I-95. According to a release from New Hampshire State Police, the driver “was having significant lane control issues,” and Locke noticed the Maine registration plate on the car belonged to another vehicle.
Locke attempted to stop the car near the Hampton toll plaza but the driver refused to stop, and Locke gave chase. During the chase, the Elantra reached speeds over 100 mph.
According to police, as Locke and the Elantra reached Portsmouth Exit 7, the trooper was assisted by officers from the Portsmouth Police Department, as well as other New Hampshire troopers. The pursuit continued across state lines into Maine, where the erratic operation and excessive speed continued, according to the release.
As the Elantra crossed the York toll plaza, Maine troopers joined the chase.
The pursuit ended approximately 2 miles north of the York toll plaza, according to police, when the Elantra lost a front tire and the vehicle ultimately rolled to a stop. The driver of the vehicle, described as a white male wearing jeans and a black hoodie pulled over his head and face, jumped out of the moving vehicle from the passenger side door and ran into the woods.
Troopers secured the scene and set up a perimeter, while a K-9 from Wells was called to assist.
After a lengthy K-9 track, the suspect was not apprehended and he remains at large, according to police.
Gatcomb is 6 feet tall, weighs 190 pounds and has blond hair and blue eyes.
According to Maine State Trooper Justin Huntley, in addition to Livermore Falls, Gatcomb is known to frequent Bath, Fayette, and Franklin and Washington counties.
Assisting New Hampshire State Police were members of the Portsmouth Police Department, Maine State Police, Troop G, York Police Department, and the Wells Police Department.
This is not the first time Gatcomb has fled police by jumping out of a car.
In 2013, Gatcomb was a passenger in a truck on Route 133 in Wilton when Sgt. Chad Abbott recognized him and stopped the truck, with assistance from Sgt. Troy Young. Gatcomb left the truck and fled across a field.
At the time, he was wanted in Franklin County for domestic assault and violation of conditions of release. He’s also wanted in Kennebec County for failure to stop for an officer, criminal speeding and violation of condition of release. He is out on bail on a charge of felony theft.
Gatcomb has multiple criminal convictions, including two counts of tampering with a witness, theft by unauthorized taking, aggravated criminal mischief, theft by receiving stolen property, driving to endanger, violating condition of release and failure to appear.
Anyone with information on Gatcomb’s whereabouts is asked to call Maine State Police in Gray at 207-657-3030, or contact Trooper Matt Locke, New Hampshire State Police, Troop A, at 603-223-8490 or Matthew.Locke@dos.nh.
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