MAN CHARGED WITH 3 ROBBERIES ALLEGEDLY POINTED GUN AT POLICE

DOVER -- The man suspected of robbing three local businesses to feed
his crack cocaine habit and leading state police on a high-speed
chase was arraigned Wednesday in Dover District Court.

Christopher Drake, 31, of South Berwick, Maine, has been charged with
two counts of armed robbery, a Class A felony. He is also charged
with two counts of disobeying an officer, conduct after an accident,
reckless driving and reckless conduct, all misdemeanors.

Drake pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charges and entered no
plea on the armed robbery charges.

He is being held on $250,000 cash bail at the Strafford County jail.
If convicted, Drake could face up to 20 years in prison with a
mandatory minimum sentence of three years, said Strafford County
Prosecutor Brian Lee.

Eliot Police Chief Theodor Short said he believes Drake is
responsible for the armed robbery at the Eliot Dunkin' Donuts on
Sunday evening. Short said Eliot police made this determination after
department detectives interviewed Drake.

"Currently, we are working with State Police on that investigation
and hopefully will have warrants issued within a week," said Short.

At the arraignment, Lee described Drake as a "truly desperate
individual ... who will stop at nothing to support his crack cocaine
habit." On the night of the incident, said Lee, Drake told police he
committed a Somersworth robbery to pay for drugs. Drake was
previously out on bail for an unrelated domestic violence charge, one
of the conditions being he cannot possess a deadly weapon, Lee said.

Dover District Court Judge Steve Roberts said Drake allegedly walked
into the Waroeng Indonesian Restaurant on Route 108 in Somersworth
around 7 p.m. Tuesday brandishing a loaded handgun. He allegedly told
a customer and employee, "Give me the money and no one gets hurt,"
and then fled on foot with $341 in cash.

Around 10 the same night, Brake walked into the Dunkin' Donuts at the
Lee traffic circle, showed a gun and again told the cashier to give
him the money and no one would get hurt, said Lee Police Chief Chet
Murch. Drake allegedly left the Dunkin' Donuts in a green Honda
Accord with an undisclosed amount of cash.

"About 30 seconds later," a Lee police officer pulled Drake over on
Route 4 because he had covered his rear license plate with duct tape,
said Murch.

According to police reports, the officer pursued Drake down Route 4
while State Police units were dispatched out of Epping to assist with
the chase. The troopers caught up with Drake's vehicle in Durham as
it headed toward Dover. Police set up a road block along Back River
Road, but Drake allegedly hit a cruiser, passed through the "stop
sticks," and continued into Dover.

Drake then turned onto Dover Point Road and he brandished a gun at
the troopers, police said. As he headed back toward Route 4, Drake
allegedly rammed two cruisers that were attempting to slow him down.
Police said they eventually surrounded Drake's car, the three
vehicles collided and came to a stop at Route 4 and Madbury Road.

The revolver allegedly used in the robbery was found in his car, police said.

Drake is scheduled to appear in Dover District Court for a probable
cause hearing on Dec. 5. He is also scheduled to appear in Durham
District Court on Dec. 8 to face one of the charges of disobeying an officer.

Lee said the courts will likely try to consolidate all the charges
into one trial. He also said, "There is a chance there will be
additional charges."