A multi-town pursuit beginning in Chelsea on Sunday culminated in a police shootout with a man wanted on felony charges and the arrest of two suspects.
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Kennebec County Sheriff’s Deputy Elijah Curtis attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Dustin Smith, 33, on Hallowell Road in Chelsea in order to arrest him on multiple outstanding felony warrants.
Instead of complying with the police, Smith allegedly fled, and Deputy Jeffrey Boudreau joined Curtis in pursuing the fleeing suspect.
Smith drove through Chelsea, then Windsor, and finally drove into Augusta with deputies in pursuit.
Throughout the pursuit, Smith allegedly fired at deputies multiple times from his moving vehicle.
Smith then came to a stop at a residence on Allen Street in Augusta and allegedly opened his vehicle door and pointed a firearm at the deputies.
In response, Curtis and Boudreau opened fire on Smith, while Augusta Police Officer Ben Murtiff pinned Smith’s vehicle and prevented him from leaving the residence’s driveway.
Officers were then able to take Smith into custody along with Kierra Stoddard, 29, who allegedly resisted arrest. It is not clear whether Stoddard was inside the vehicle with Smith or in the Augusta residence.
During the shootout, Smith was grazed by a bullet. Law enforcement officers were not injured in what has been reported to have been a shootout.
Smith was transported to Maine General in Augusta for treatment, and both he and Stoddard were subsequently transported to the Kennebec County Correctional Facility.
Stoddard was charged with resisting arrest, and Smith has multiple unspecified pending charges.
Deputies Curtis and Boudreau were placed on administrative leave, following standard protocol after an officer’s use of deadly force. The use of force will now be investigated by the Attorney General, who will determine whether it was justified.
Smith was previously arrested in 2022 after he allegedly committed an armed robbery in Winslow. He reportedly held a victim at gunpoint and forced him to strip, then fired his gun and assaulted the victim, causing facial injuries, before stealing his cash and fleeing the scene.
He was then arrested days later at his workplace.
