A South Portland woman allegedly crashed into two police cruisers on Friday after fleeing a traffic stop while driving under the influence of illegal drugs.
[RELATED: Bangor Mailman Draws OUI in Work Vehicle…]
At approximately 9:12 p.m., a South Portland police officer spotted a vehicle driving erratically in the area of 227 Maine Mall Road.
He reportedly saw the vehicle enter a parking lot and hit a curb and initiated a traffic stop.
The driver reportedly pulled over, but when the officer attempted to make contact, she allegedly appeared frantic and refused to roll down her window.
The officer suspected the driver of being impaired and awaited backup.
While he was awaiting backup, the driver allegedly fled in her vehicle.
She reportedly drove through multiple parking lots to re-enter the Maine Mall Road and made several unsafe U-turns around pedestrians and other drivers.
She then allegedly struck a police cruiser before continuing to flee. The officer inside the cruiser was uninjured.
The driver then reportedly struck a second cruiser head-on in the parking lot of a Dollar Tree on Maine Mall Road. The officer in that cruiser was also uninjured.
Following that crash, officers were able to box in the vehicle and arrest the driver, identified as Celena Celeste Smith, 47, of Augusta.
She was transported to a local hospital for a medical assessment, then transported to the Cumberland County Jail.
She faces charges of violating conditions of release, assault, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, refusing to submit to arrest/detention, failure to stop, remain, or provide information, operating under the influence of drugs, driving to endanger, failing to stop for an officer, and three counts of aggravated criminal mischief.
During the incident, three police cruisers were damaged, two severely enough to render them inoperable until repairs are made.
The question I always wonder about is where these people get their vehicles as there aren’t any cheap cars anymore, and how they can afford to register and insure them?
That is, one of the worst 47 year old ever.
The new face of Maine
she seems nice
Already back on the street and driving no doubt