The Westbrook Police Department arrested a convicted drug trafficker on Tuesday after he allegedly fled from police and caused a serious crash that left a dog dead.
At approximately 2:21 p.m., the Westbrook Police Department responded to reports of an erratic vehicle on Spring Street near the intersection with County Road.
The caller informed dispatch that a white pickup truck had driven off the road and believed that the driver had overdosed or had a seizure. While on the phone with dispatch, the caller reportedly witnessed the pickup pull back onto the road and drive away.
Officers then located the pickup traveling northbound on Spring Street and attempted to initiate a traffic stop based on the driver’s alleged erratic operation.
The driver reportedly refused to stop and fled, passing numerous vehicles and nearly causing a head-on crash with a Westbrook police cruiser.
The pursuit ended when the pickup allegedly rear-ended a semi-truck and rolled over near 85 Spring Street.
Westbrook Fire Rescue transported the truck’s sole occupant to a local hospital for treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. A dog in the vehicle was transported to an emergency vet for treatment but subsequently died from its injuries.
The Maine State Police assisted in investigating the crash, and the investigation resulted in charges against the pickup driver, identified as Michael Gross, 35, of Windham.
After he received medical treatment, he was arrested and charged with aggravated driving to endanger, eluding an officer, aggravated cruelty to animals, violating conditions of release, and a probation violation.
At the time of the incident, he was subject to probation conditions following a conviction for unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs and was out on bail for pending charges of domestic violence assault and obstructing the reporting of a crime.
Additional charges may be forthcoming pending further investigation.
