Lori Bourgeois

BRUNSWICK — A Phippsburg woman allegedly struck a police officer with her vehicle as she drove away from the scene of an alleged attempted shoplifting in Cook’s Corner on Thursday

Lori Bourgeois, 59, of Phippsburg was arrested and charged with eluding an officer, a Class C felony punishable by up to five years incarceration and a $5,000 fine. She also faces misdemeanors including assault, driving to endanger, criminal speed, theft by unauthorized taking or transfer, criminal mischief, refusing to submit to detention or arrest and failing to report a motor vehicle accident.

According to police, Lowe’s Home Improvement staff called police around 2:30 p.m. to report a theft by a person who was later identified as a former Lowe’s employee. After being confronted by the staff, the person left the store. The store was able to recover its merchandise.

An officer on a bicycle found Bourgeois’s vehicle in the parking lot of the nearby Antigoni’s Pizza restaurant, police said. The officer told Bourgeois to stop, “however she accelerated and struck the bicycle he was on, causing minor injury to the officer and damage to the bicycle,” according to a police statement.

Police say Bourgeois drove recklessly at high speeds in an attempt to escape other officers, passing vehicles on the right shoulder of Bath Road.

Brunswick police then stopped their pursuit.

Bourgeois was later found and placed under arrest near her home by Phippsburg police and the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office, after allegedly attempting to flee from a Phippsburg officer.

The officer Bourgeois allegedly hit was treated and released from a hospital and can return to work.

Bourgeois’s bail was set at $2,500 cash and she was transported to the Cumberland County Jail in Portland.