Oxford, ME (September 4, 2024) – A Maine State Police trooper was injured in a crash late Tuesday, September 3 while attempting to stop a speeding vehicle. Sgt. Jonathan Russell was pursuing a mid-2000s Chevy or GMC truck with a utility body on Rte 26 around 11:11 p.m. The truck turned onto Rabbit Valley Rd, and Russell, unfamiliar with the road, missed a turn at the bottom of a hill, causing his cruiser to veer into a ditch.
After the crash, Russell quickly exited the cruiser and freed his K-9 partner, Preacher, just before the vehicle became engulfed in flames. Ammunition stored in the back of the cruiser exploded due to the fire, rendering the vehicle a total loss. Russell sustained injuries from the airbag deployment, but Preacher was not harmed in the incident.
Authorities are still searching for the driver of the speeding vehicle, who remains unidentified. The investigation into the crash and pursuit is ongoing.