Footchase of suspect through downtown ends with K-9 Daisy Mae 'doing her job'

Stephen J. Linteau (Rochester Police photo); inset, Daisy Mae (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - A Rochester man wanted on several outstanding warrants led police on a brief footchase through the downtown Tuesday night only to be quickly pinned down by a responding K-9 unit just moments later.

The incident began around 9:10 p.m. when an officer recognized a male who was wanted on some theft charges walking near Friendly's Restaurant on South Main Street.

Stephen J. Linteau, 36, listed as a city transient, at first began to submit to arrest, but broke away as the officer was reaching for the cuffs, leading to a foot pursuit behind the library onto Charles Street and then to Congress Street, where the suspect clambered down an embankment toward the Cocheco River.

About this time assisting K9 Officer Keith MacKenzie and his bloodhound tracker Daisy Mae located Linteau down the embankment where he was taken into custody without further incident, Rochester Police Capt. Jason Thomas said today.

Linteau was charged with stolen property and fraudulent use of a credit for allegedly stealing a wallet out of a purse in December and using a stolen credit card several times; resisting arrest and a capias warrant on a robbery charge out of Strafford County Superior Court.