Leeds Man Faces Multiple Charges After Drunken Crime Spree

A Leeds man is facing multiple charges after police say he allegedly stole from a convenience store and then led them on a dangerous pursuit.

Maine State Police say the incident began at around 4:30 Monday afternoon, when the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office received a report of an intoxicated man that stole several items from a convenience store in Leeds. Bystanders had tried to stop the man from leaving the scene, but he got by them. Witnesses say his vehicle struck another car as it left the parking lot, heading south.

At around 6:45 that evening. Trooper Flanagan was traveling southbound on the Maine Turnpike in Portland when he noticed a silver Mustang, matching the description given out by Androscoggin Deputies. The vehicle was speeding and was unable to maintain its lane, almost striking several other vehicles. The Trooper waited to stop the vehicle until it was in a safer location, south of the Portland metropolitan area.

Three times, Trooper Flanagan tried to get the driver to pull over but, all three times, the vehicle would appear to slow down in the left-most lane of the interstate, but wouldn't stop. On the fourth attempt, the Trooper was successful and gave a field sobriety test to the driver, Alfred Bellanceau of Leeds. He was placed into custody and taken to the Cumberland County Jail. Bellanceau is charged with Operating Under the Influence, 2 counts of Operating After License is Revoked, Theft By Unauthorized Taking, Driving to Endanger, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, and Refusing To Sign a Criminal Summons.