Maine Man Crashes Into Lewiston Building Following High Speed Chase with Police

A man from Waterville is facing numerous charges following an alleged high speed chase and crash in the Lewiston area.

According to a report on the WCSH 6 website, at about 1:11 AM on Friday Lewiston police attempted to pull over a Ford Fiesta for speeding.

The vehicle refused to pull over and started up Pleasant Street.  The chase reached speeds of about 80 MPH and lasted less than a minute.  The chase ended, abruptly, when the Ford Fiesta crashed into MT Bottle Redemption Center on Lisbon Street.

When the crash happened, the car caught fire, and those flames quickly started spreading toward the redemption center building.  Officers who were already on scene immediately jumped into action, grabbing fire extinguishers and doing everything they could to slow the fire down.  At the same time, they were working to pull the driver, identified as Christian Grenier, out of the burning vehicle.

While police were able to get Grenier out safely, they could not stop the fire from reaching the building.  By the time Lewiston firefighters arrived, the fire had already taken hold.  Crews managed to get it under control and put it out, but not before the building sustained heavy damage.

Grenier was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries, though police say those injuries are not considered life threatening. He was the only person inside the car at the time of the crash.

According to officials, Grenier now faces a long list of charges. Those include eluding an officer, operating after suspension, operating under the influence, criminal mischief, criminal speed, reckless conduct, and several other traffic violations.

In addition to those charges, Grenier has 7 active license suspensions and what Waterville Police Department representatives are calling "a long criminal history"

*NOTE - All suspects are considered innocent until being found guilty in a court of law