YORK, Maine — Police say a Saco man later accused of being under the influence fled the scene of a 4-car crash Friday in York and ran naked along Route 1 before being taken into custody by police with help from a good Samaritan.
York Police Sgt. Brian Curtin said York ambulance personnel members were passing through the intersection of Route 1 and Spur Road at about 3:30 p.m. when they came upon a four-vehicle crash with one car into the trees.
Several 911 calls reported the crash, Sgt. Curtin said, many of which noted witnessing a man fleeing the scene and running south on Route 1 naked.
Responding officer Lt. Owen Davis spotted the man running by an Irving Oil gas station. Curtin said the man tried to run from Lt. Davis, but after a short foot chase and the help from a good Samaritan who reportedly stepped in to help Davis, the man was eventually apprehended near Key Ford.
Police identified the man as Richard F Stickney III, 34, of Saco. He was taken to York Hospital for evaluation.
According to Curtin, an investigation into the crash showed Stickney was driving a pickup southbound on Route 1 when he tried to squeeze between cars that had stopped for a red light, striking three of them in the process.
Curtin said Stickney's truck then lost its steering mechanism, causing it to continue through the intersection uncontrollably. The truck then left the roadway and crashed into some small trees.
That's when Stickney fled the scene, Curtin said, running south through a small group of trees. At some point, he removed all his clothing and footwear.
No one was hurt in the crash.
Stickney was charged with driving to endanger, operating under the influence of drugs, failure to submit to arrest or detention, leaving the scene of a crash, and failure to stop at a red light.
He's scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 19.
