Waterford — A Mystic man with a history of leading police on chases was arrested Friday after he led police on a high-speed car chase through Waterford, New London, Montville, Norwich and Salem, stopping only after police deflated his tires and his car collided into a wall in New London.

Michael Beck, 29, of 671 Noank Ledyard Road, was driving on Route 1 in Waterford 17 miles over the speed limit at about 11:50 p.m. Friday, Waterford police said in a news release Monday. He failed to stop for an officer who attempted to pull him over.

Beck has a lengthy criminal record including convictions for leading Groton City, Groton Town and Stonington police, respectively, on chases in 2009, 2012 and 2013. He also was sentenced to one year in prison last October for second-degree assault in Stonington but was released early.    

The car he was driving, a Honda Accord, did not have license plates that matched Department of Motor Vehicle records, according to police.

An officer signaled Beck to stop. The car accelerated and the officer chased Beck onto Fog Plain Road and Clark Lane in Waterford, then Jefferson Avenue and Chester Street in New London, then onto Route 85, where he drove north faster than 80 mph, police said.

Officers tried to deflate the car’s tires by throwing "stop sticks" into the road, but Beck avoided them and kept driving north on Route 85.

Beck turned onto Route 82 in Salem, then drove south onto Interstate 395 in Norwich. State police officers then threw stop sticks onto the highway, this time successfully deflating the car’s tires.

Beck continued to drive on the car’s deflated tires, turning onto Route 32 and driving back into New London, where the car struck a state police cruiser that was parked at the ramp onto Interstate 95 to prevent traffic from passing during the chase.

Police said Beck continued driving after the collision on Route 32. The state police officer followed Beck and attempted to pull alongside the Honda Accord, but Beck swerved and hit the cruiser at its left rear bumper.

The officer attempted to push Beck to drive to the right of the road, where the Honda Accord hit a bridge retaining wall. A Waterford officer drove behind the car, and Beck reversed the car but was trapped.

No injuries were reported.

Police arrested Beck and charged him with driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, reckless driving, engaging in pursuit, evading responsibility and speeding.

Beck was arraigned Friday in New London Superior Court, where his case was continued to Aug. 9. He is being held in lieu of $50,000 cash or surety at the Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Center.  

m.shanahan@theday.com