Maine Sheriff’s Department Pursuit Ends in Fatal Crash

A Monday evening pursuit involving a deputy from the Franklin County Sheriff's Department and a man wanted for allegedly sexually assaulting a child ended in a fatal crash.

According to a press release from the Maine Department of Public Safety's Shannon Moss, at about 5 PM on Monday, deputies from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office were called to a residence in Strong to investigate the sexual assault of a child.

32-year-old Joshua Burdin, who had been identified as a suspect in the crime, fled the scene before law enforcement could arrive.

Just after 6 PM, a deputy identified the 2006 Subaru driven by Burding and attempted to pull him over.  Burding refused to pull over for the deputy, and a low-speed pursuit ensued.

The deputy pursued Burding through Strong and into Farmington.

The press release goes on to say:

Officers with the Farmington Police Department were able to successfully deploy spike strips.  After the Subaru’s front tires were spiked, Burdin accelerated at a high rate of speed on the South Strong Road and struck a tree head-on.

 

Joshua Burdin was pronounced dead at the scene.  His body was taken to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta, where an autopsy will be performed.

The press release explains that the crash remains under investigation.

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