A Strong man died Monday evening when he crashed while fleeing from police.
Joshua Burdin, 32, was suspected of sexually assaulting a child in the town of Strong, but fled the residence before police arrived, according to Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
A Franklin County sheriff’s deputy spotted Burdin driving a 2006 Subaru Impreza about 6:11 p.m., and when Burdin didn’t stop for the officer, police gave chase through Strong and into Farmington, Moss said Tuesday.
Farmington police officers deployed a spike mat on South Strong Road, which deflated Burdin’s front tires. But he accelerated and struck a tree head on about 6:30 p.m., according to Moss.
Burdin died at the scene.
His body was taken to the Maine medical examiner’s office in Augusta, where an autopsy will be performed.
The crash remains under investigation.