Can Maine Police Legally Shoot Out Your Tires?

Every good car chase in the movies ends one way...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in any decent movie involving fast cars, at some point, someone will shoot out the tires of the fleeing car. Maybe it's not the focal point at all, but it'll happen. Not to mention, how many times when you were a kid, did the General Lee or Knight Rider get shot at?

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It was just part of the deal. It's almost like quicksand... I assumed based on the number of chases and quicksand I saw in movies and TV as a kid, that I'd be dealing with one or the other on a pretty regular basis. TV makes you grow up thinking that being an adult is way more badass than it actually is, that's for sure.

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That said, can cops shoot out your tires if you flee?

Well, this is kind of one of those yes and no kind of deals. So, a cop is probably not going to start out with shooting out your tires as a first choice when trying to get you to stop. There's things like spike strips and the PIT maneuver that most officers will engage before pulling out their firearm. And for a very good reason.

Shooting at the car, even if aiming for the tires, would likely be considered deadly force. There's always the possibility the car could have an accident or something, and cause injury to the person, even if they weren't hit by gunfire. But drawing a weapon would be considered a last resort.

Has it ever actually happened in Maine?

Absolutely. More than once. In 2011, the Portland Press Herald reported an officer had to use his weapon to disable a vehicle trying to make a getaway. And the Associated Press also reported an officer using his firearm to stop two teenagers who'd stolen a piece of heavy duty construction equipment, and swerved toward officers at the scene.

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I imagine it's never an officer's first thought. There are plenty of other options to try before needing to draw a weapon. But yeah... if an officer decides there's only one way to handle to the situation, they'll do what they have to do. So hopefully it's another reason to think twice before running from the cops. You're no Bo Duke, bub.