Maine State Police make arrests after high speed chase

HANCOCK COUNTY – Maine State Police make arrests after high speed chase.

On Jan. 1, troopers responded to a citizen report of a vehicle on Route 182 in the Cherryfield area that matched the description of the vehicle that was believed to have been involved in an armed robbery in Ellsworth on Dec. 30, 2010.  The vehicle was a Silver Saab bearing Maine dealer plate 92K.  Tpr. Dave Barnard located the vehicle on Route 182 as it pulled into the parking area on Tunk Lake in Township 10.

Barnard made contact with the operator who refused to comply with Tpr. Barnard’s commands.  The vehicle then left the parking area and began traveling east on Route 182 at speeds in excess of 130 miles per hour.  The operator lost control of the vehicle at the intersection of the Eastbrook Road and Route 182 and the vehicle struck a utility pole.

The driver, later identified Hyunkook Korsiak, 29, of Harpswell, fled the scene on foot.  The passenger in the vehicle, Joseph Miller, 24, of Whitneyville, was located near the scene and was arrested for receiving stolen property (class B).  The investigation disclosed that the vehicle had been reported stolen from an auto dealership in Brunswick on Dec. 26, 2010.

A short time later, troopers received information that the driver (Korsiak) had stolen a second vehicle from a residence on the Eastbrook Road in Franklin.  It was determined that the vehicle was a red 1992 Saab belonging to a woman from Trenton.  Sgt. Glenn Moshier of the Ellsworth Police Department located the vehicle on Route 179 and attempted to stop the vehicle.

Korsiak again failed to stop and continued into Ellsworth.  Korsiak pulled into a driveway on State Street and was taken into custody without further incident.  Korsiak was charged with one count of theft by unlawful taking or transfer (class B), one count of theft by unlawful taking or transfer (class C), eluding (class C), passing a roadblock (class C), criminal speeding (class E) and driving to endanger (class E).

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Department and Ellsworth Police Department also assisted at the scene.      

The Maine State Police extended thanks to the concerned and alert citizen who reported the whereabouts of the vehicle.