MEXICO — An 18-year-old Dixfield man is facing a laundry list of charges after an hourlong, high-speed chase on a dirt bike Friday morning.

Bryce Wilson Mexico police photo

Police Chief Roy Hodsdon said Bryce Wilson is being held without bail at Oxford County Jail in Paris. He had been out on bail after his arrest for another dirt bike incident.

A little after 8 a.m., Lt. Dan Carrier received a complaint from Mountain Valley Middle School Principal Ryan Casey of a male on a dirt bike coming through the area where school buses were dropping off students.

“He was concerned for the safety of the kids,” Hodsdon said.

He said Carrier caught up with Wilson near Walmart on River Road where he ran a red light and went into oncoming traffic. Carrier tried to make a stop but Wilson took off toward town at about 60 miles per hour.

He continued toward the end of Backkingdom Road and into Dixfield where police joined the pursuit.

“He almost struck Lt. Carrier’s cruiser and my cruiser with his bike when he refused to stop on Coburn Avenue,” Hodsdon said.

With the assistance of Josh Smith of the Maine Warden Service, Hodsdon said police located the dirt bike and soon found Wilson hiding in woods near his home on Averill Hill.

Hodsdon said Wilson was charged with eluding, operating after license suspension, criminal speed, violations of conditions of release, refusing to stop for a law enforcement officer, possession of marijuana while under age 21, improper passing, improper turn onto a two-way roadway, no inspection sticker and no insurance.

He is scheduled to appear in Rumford District Court at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 2.

bfarrin@sunmediagroup.net