A Richmond man was arrested Thursday in Gardiner after he allegedly fled from police three times, once by car and twice by foot.

Jason Hewett, 37, was spotted by Richmond Police Sgt. Chris Giles around 5 p.m. Thursday driving on U.S. Route 201 near the Lancaster Road intersection and Giles said he knew Hewett was wanted by police and had a revoked license.

Jason Hewett

Hewett, who had a female passenger in the vehicle, was pulled over by Giles. The officer said he walked up to the vehicle and as he got alongside Hewett took off at a high rate of speed.

Giles and Sagadahoc County Deputy Zac Kindelan pursued him, north toward Gardiner, with speeds in excess of 90 mph.

However, Giles said police called off the chase, in the area of the Thorofare Road intersection, because Hewett was driving erratically in the oncoming lane of traffic and creating a danger to other motorists, and because they recognized who was driving.

“They got desperate; the way they were driving was certainly jeopardizing the public,” Giles said Friday. “Which is why we called the chase off. It wasn’t worth the risk, given that we knew who it was.”

Giles said once police turned off their lights and sirens the car slowed down, and Giles continued to follow it into Gardiner. He said Gardiner Police were in the area and Hewett pulled into a driveway at 612 Marston Road and fled on foot, into a wooded area.

About three hours later, at 8:14 p.m. Kennebec County Sheriff’s Deputy Elijah Curtis stopped a car traveling on Marston Road in Gardiner for reported erratic operation, according to Lt. Chris Read. Read said Curtis recognized the rear passenger as Hewett, knew that he’d been involved in a chase earlier, and had warrants out for his arrest.

Curtis had Hewett step out of the car and Hewett fled on foot again, this time into a swamp where, Read said, he was caught by Gardiner Police Officer Scott Getchel.

He was arrested by Curtis and charged with three warrants of arrest, refusing to submit to arrest, and violation of conditions of release.

Giles said charges against Hewett, stemming from the Richmond incident, were operating after revocation, driving while a habitual offender, eluding a police officer, criminal speed, driving to endanger and violation of bail conditions.