Assistant principal dies when he flees cops and crashes in woods, ME troopers say

The assistant principal of a Maine high school died after he crashed in a wooded area while fleeing from troopers, authorities say.

Jacob Brown, the 34-year-old assistant principal at Scarborough High School, was driving on Interstate 295 in Yarmouth on Sept. 13 when troopers attempted to pull him over for reports that he was driving erratically, according to a news release.

Brown, however, fled “at a high rate of speed” when troopers tried to stop him, Maine State Police said.

A 3-mile chase ensued, leading to Brown’s Jeep Wrangler veering off the road, troopers said. His vehicle then crashed into the woods and became engulfed in flames.

Authorities said Brown was ejected from his SUV. After he was pulled away from the fire, first responders performed life-saving measures, but troopers said Brown was pronounced dead at the scene.

“Preliminary investigation indicates that speed and alcohol were contributing factors in the crash,” state police said.

Scarborough Public Schools Superintendent Diane Nadeau announced Brown’s death Sept. 14 with “great sadness.”

“Mr. Brown was a beloved member of our school community, whose care and commitment touched the lives of many students, staff, and families,” Nadeau said in a statement.

Classes were not in session Sept. 15 at the high school, allowing people “space to come together as a community and support one another appropriately,” officials said.

Before becoming assistant principal at the high school in 2020, Brown coached at the school and was Scarborough Middle School’s athletic and activities director, according to WMTW.

Jillian St. Louis, a family friend, described Brown as being “always so kind, so caring,” WMTW reported.

“I was devastated. Unbelievably tragic, and I think it’s going to be hard to find out what all the details were exactly,” she told the station. “I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of judgment and a lot of thoughts imposed on what actually happened. Will we truly ever know? I’m not sure. But at the end of the day, a really great life was lost and I think that’s where the focus needs to be.”

Brown also coached the 18U team in the Biddeford Youth Hockey Association. The association thanked Brown for his impact “on and off the ice.”

Passionate about hockey from a young age, Brown translated his skill on the ice into a successful coaching career, according to the Press Herald.

Jake Rutt, who coached alongside Brown, said Brown’s coaching “energy and mindset was very contagious.”

“His team always had the identity of playing very hard,” Rutt told the Press Herald. “Not only did his teams buy into the game plan and what they were trying to accomplish, but it was always a very tight-knit group that he was able to foster in every locker room that he coached.”

Scarborough is a southwest suburb of Portland.

This story was originally published September 16, 2025 at 3:24 PM with the headline "Assistant principal dies when he flees cops and crashes in woods, ME troopers say."