A high-speed pursuit spanning multiple Maine towns ended early Sunday when a fleeing SUV smashed into the porch support beams of a popular lakeside restaurant, leaving a 32-year-old Connecticut man in custody and facing a slate of criminal charges.
A High-Speed Flight on Route 302
Stuart John McClure of New London, Connecticut, faces multiple charges including operating under the influence after a late-night chase that began early Sunday morning. A Maine State Police trooper spotted a 2015 Jeep Cherokee speeding and driving erratically along Route 302 in Bridgton.
The trooper initiated a traffic stop. McClure initially pulled over, but then abruptly accelerated away at a high rate of speed.
Crash at Rick’s Café and Foot Chase
Suspecting impairment, the trooper pursued the vehicle for several miles. The chase reached its conclusion when the Jeep crashed as it entered the causeway in Naples, striking the awning and porch support beams at Rick’s Café.
McClure fled the scene on foot immediately after the impact. State police quickly tracked him down, locating the suspect hiding in shrubbery along the causeway shoreline.
McClure Faces Multiple Charges After Hospital Transport
Emergency responders transported McClure by ambulance to Maine Medical Center for treatment of injuries that authorities stated are not life-threatening.
McClure was arrested near the scene. He is charged with operating under the influence, eluding an officer, aggravated driving to endanger, and criminal speed.
Multi-Agency Response Along the Causeway
The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and the Bridgton Police Department assisted Maine State Police with the response and investigation into the early morning incident.
