Pepe Lepew

Skunk stops fleeing suspect with a spray

BY MARK LAFLAMME
Staff Writer

LEWISTON - For days, State Police couldn't catch him. Sheriff's deputies with tracking dogs couldn't find him. Lewiston police almost lost him. Then cops got a little cooperation from the local wildlife.

A wanted man fleeing on foot from police Tuesday night was caught after he was sprayed in the face by a skunk.

Police said 32-year-old Kenneth Rideout fled into the woods behind the Multi-Purpose Center following a routine traffic stop on Birch Street.

Rideout was a passenger in the car; he has been sought on an Androscoggin County Sheriff's warrant for nearly a week, police said.

Rideout was wanted for violating release conditions stemming from a domestic assault in Greene and was believed to be dangerous, police said.

During the traffic stop at about 8:30 p.m., Rideout fled into the dark woods along Birch Street, police said. He was getting away, in spite of officers swarming on the area.
"The suspect was running and the officers were in pursuit," said Lt. Tom Avery. "He had the misfortune of running into this skunk who was on the side of law and order. In his haste, he didn't see the animal, and he got a full blast in the face."

Rideout was still trying to run after getting sprayed, police said. But the chemicals are nearly as strong as Mace, and his progress was slowed. Cops were moving in.

"It was powerful enough to pretty much incapacitate him," Avery said. "It definitely slowed his momentum."

Officer Eric Syphers found Rideout stumbling through the woods behind the center. The suspect reeked from the spray, and he was in clear pain, police said. Syphers made the arrest.

The squad car reeked of skunk by the time the prisoner was taken to the police station, Avery said. The suspect himself was being cleaned up before he was booked. Sheriff's officials were being notified that a slightly smelly suspect was on his way to the jail.
At the time of the arrest, Rideout listed a Horton Street address. But police said it was unclear where he has been living recently.

Avery commended officer Greg Boucher, who made the initial traffic stop, and Syphers, who arrested the suspect. He saved most of his praise, though, for the skunk who stepped in to end the chase.

"Sometimes, we get help from where we don't expect it," Avery said. "We're calling this skunk officer Pepe LePew."