BELFAST — A Waldo man has been charged with five crimes, including two felonies, following a brief chase just after 11 p.m. May 17, according to Belfast Police Sergeant Daniel Fitzpatrick.

Gary Dean, 43, has been charged with failure to stop for an officer, driving to endanger, criminal speed, eluding an officer, and passing a roadblock. The latter two charges are class C felonies while the remaining charges are misdemeanors.

Dean first came to the attention of Belfast Police after a convenience store employee called to report they had just refused to sell an intoxicated person alcohol and reported the vehicle’s plate number. After running the plate they learned the owner of the vehicle, and several officers split up to cover other area stores where Dean may have gone to try to acquire alcohol.

Officer Michael J. McFadden Jr. located Dean’s vehicle in the parking lot of another convenience store on Route 3 and observed a man with several beers in hand, police said. McFadden Jr. attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Dean failed to stop and instead continued onto Route 1, where another Belfast Police officer joined the chase with lights and siren activated, according to Sergeant Fitzpatrick.

Given that they knew the address of the operator and likely route of travel, another officer parked his vehicle in the lane of travel Dean would have to take when traveling on Waldo Avenue. Instead of stopping Dean went around the roadblock and continued on at a high rate of speed, police said.

Sergeant Fitzpatrick said that based on the fact they had seen Dean, had his registration and knew where he lived, the chase was discontinued in the interest of public safety.

Officers traveled to Dean’s residence, where they found his vehicle in the driveway with the engine still warm and brakes smoking, according to Fitzpatrick. They attempted to make contact with Dean and heard a dog barking inside the residence, but no one would come to the door.

Based on the fact that the vehicle had been witnessed in the commission of an alleged felony, officers had the vehicle towed from the driveway.

The following day, just before 11 a.m. Waldo County Communications received a report from Dean that someone had stolen his vehicle out of his driveway. Given that the residence is in Waldo, Waldo County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the scene, where they alerted Belfast Police that the report was likely related to their chase the night before. Officer McFadden Jr. traveled to arrest Dean.

Dean was also issued a summons by the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office for filing a false report or public alarm.

Dean reportedly initially denied his involvement but ultimately made a statement to officers that he had been scared when the police came up behind him and didn’t know why they were following him, police said.

Sergeant Fitzpatrick said it was unfortunate that police were unable to determine conclusively whether he was impaired while operating the vehicle. Fitzpatrick noted that had Dean been intoxicated and stopped for officers, he would have been facing a misdemeanor charge of operating under the influence, whereas he is now facing a half dozen charges, including two felonies.

Dean will appear in Waldo County Unified Criminal Court June 21, at 8 a.m.

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com