A man killed in a shoot-out with police in Rochester on Monday had led Maine police on a brief chase in York County in June, authorities said.
Officers tried to stop Douglas Heath, 38, in Sanford on June 11 because they knew he was wanted in New Hampshire on a drug charge, Maine State Police said.
But instead of stopping, Heath fled in his vehicle, leading police on chase that lasted a couple miles on Route 202. The pursuit ended in Lebanon when officers stopped chasing him to minimize the risk to the public, and because they knew the identity of the driver, police said.
Later that day, police tracked the car to a home on Second Street in Lebanon where Heath was living at the time. Officers later learned that Heath fled Lebanon on foot and was likely picked up by a vehicle and left the area.
Heath, 38, was killed in a police shootout around 3:15 p.m. on Monday at the intersection of Oak Street and Route 125 in Rochester, New Hampshire.
News Center Maine (WCSH/WLBZ TV) said Rochester police obtained “credible information” earlier this month that Heath had been living in Rochester and had three firearms. Information given to police indicated that Heath had no intention of going to jail.
On Monday, Heath was pursued by officers before crashing his vehicle. He got out of the passenger side of the vehicle and exchanged gunfire with officers before he was fatally shot. The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office said a gun was found near Heath’s body.