A high-speed chase early Sunday in Belfast resulted in the arrest of the driver and startled a family of six when his truck smashed into their home, partially destroying it.

Belfast police Sgt. Matthew Cook said Leonid Richter, 22, of Belfast crashed his black Ford-150 extended cab pickup into the living room of a two-story home at 27 Condon St.

Leonid Richter

Cook said in an email that Richter is believed to have been traveling more than 70 mph in a posted 25 mph zone when his truck roared across the home’s lawn and tore through the wall of the first-floor living room.

“Very little of the truck was still outside the house when the officer arrived,” Cook said.

Officer Lewis Dyer spotted the driver of the pickup around 1 a.m. Sunday as he drove through a stop sign at the intersection of Main and Front streets, according to Cook. Dyer started to pursue the truck, which blew through another stop sign before cutting through a parking lot and crossing over to Bayview Street.

At that point, Belfast police said that Dyer did not feel comfortable trying to keep up with the pickup because of the high speed at which it was traveling. However, Dyer kept the truck in sight.

The homeowner told police that he and his son had just left the living room and had gone upstairs when they heard the truck roaring toward them. The homeowner watched in horror as the truck slammed into the house. No one in the home was injured, but Richter was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries. Richter was being held Sunday night at the Waldo County Jail on $10,000 cash bail.

Cook said Richter was charged with operating under the influence, eluding a police officer, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, driving to endanger, aggravated criminal mischief, criminal speeding and driving with a suspended license.

Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:

dhoey@pressherald.com