Man Arrested After Leading Police on 100 mph Chase on I-495

A 29-year-old Newburyport man, Kristopher Cole, was found asleep in his vehicle stopped in the middle lane of I-495 south in Lowell early Wednesday morning. When troopers responded to multiple calls about the stopped car, Cole suddenly woke up and sped off, leading police on a high-speed chase that reached approximately 100 mph. Police deployed a tire deflation device and a tracking system, but Cole continued driving on deflated tires at reduced speeds into Bolton before coming to a stop around 1:45 a.m., when he was arrested without further incident. Cole faces charges including operating under the influence of alcohol, failure to stop for police, and possession of ammunition without a firearms identification card. He was scheduled for arraignment in Lawrence District Court. No injuries or damage to other vehicles were reported during the incident.