A 23-year-old Portland man had a wild Friday morning that included, according to police, stealing a car in Portland, a 100-mph chase in Naples, spike mats, fleeing on foot and — his undoing — breaking into the Bridgton Chamber of Commerce, all before breakfast.

Aaron L. Tanguay of 54 Maple St. was arrested by Bridgton police shortly after 8:30 a.m. Police received a call that Tanguay had burglarized the chamber, was confronted by employees and had fled on foot, according to a police statement.

Tanguay was arrested a short distance away. He was later charged in Bridgton with burglary, theft and criminal trespass. He was taken to Cumberland County Jail, where the Sheriff’s Department and Portland Police “will also be charging him with various violations related to the stolen car and chase,” according to the statement. 

At about 2 a.m., a sheriff’s deputy spotted a car speeding down the middle of Route 302 in Naples, passing at roughly 100 mph, according to Cumberland County Capt. Donald Goulet.

The deputy tried to catch up to the car, which nearly crashed into a tractor-trailer on the causeway bridge in Naples, according to Goulet. The deputy lost sight of the car as it traveled west toward Bridgton at speeds greater than 100 mph.

Another Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department deputy set up spike mats, which the car ran over as it continued toward Bridgton, Goulet said.

About 30 seconds after hitting the spike mats, the car crashed into a sign at R.G. Johnson Sporting Goods at 192 Portland Road in Bridgton. The driver was seen fleeing the car after the crash.

Deputies learned the car had been stolen in Portland; they deployed a canine unit in an effort to track down the driver, but hadn’t found him as of about 8 a.m. Shortly after that, the call came in from staff at the Bridgton chamber.

After Tanguay was arrested in the burglary at the chamber, police connected him with the earlier high-speed chase.

During his arrest, it was discovered Tanguay had an outstanding probation warrant.

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