FARMINGTON — A local man is accused of fleeing from a vehicle and leaving his wife and children behind after failing to stop for police on Route 4 on Wednesday night. 

Franklin County Deputy Derrick Doucette was driving on Route 4 in the Fairbanks section of town at about 9:25 p.m. when he saw a vehicle that had been reported to be driving erratically.

Doucette turned his cruiser around and activated its blue lights to try to stop the vehicle, but it continued on, Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. said, according to Doucette’s report.

The vehicle “turned suddenly into a driveway at such a high rate of speed to cause one of the tires of the vehicle to come off its rim,” he said.

When Doucette pulled in behind the vehicle in the driveway, the driver got out and fled into the woods, refusing to stop for Doucette upon command, according to Nichols.

Doucette discovered Christopher Tracy’s wife and children in the vehicle.

Lt. David Rackliffe was called at home to bring his police dog Justice to the site. They tracked down Tracy, 24, within 10 minutes in the woods.

Tracy was arrested on charges of operating after suspension and endangering the welfare of a child, and was taken to the Franklin County Detention Center. Tracy also was charged with failing to stop for an officer and driving to endanger.

Tracy was still at the jail Thursday morning. His bail was set at $250 cash, a corrections officer said.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

Christopher Tracy (Franklin County Detention Center)