Beware, beware, beware of the naked driver.

You never know where or when a motorist in the buff is going to surface on Maine’s highways.

The most recent incident took place on July 15 in Fryeburg and began with a traffic stop for speeding that ended in a 7-mile chase.

Was alcohol a factor? News flash: That’s affirmative.

According to the Associated Press, the episode unfolded when a police officer stopped a Volvo for speeding and discovered that the driver was wearing no clothes.

Because the motorist said she needed to use the bathroom, the officer allowed her to follow his cruiser to a campground. Instead, her passenger took the wheel and led police on a chase that ended on Main Street in Fryeburg, police said.

Douglas H. Litchfield, 59, and Patricia Buck, 61, both of Harrison, were charged with drunken driving and driving to endanger, police said.

The pair said they had been in the woods and Buck's clothes had washed away in a stream, according to Fryeburg police administrator Ann Perante.

The vehicle was registered in Virginia. Although Litchfield had a suspended Maine license, he possessed a valid Virginia license, police said.

From cyberspace

In response to Monday’s blog entry concerning motorists who refuse to hang up their cell phones while behind the wheel, K.C. from Boston writes:

“I agree totally with your viewpoint on cell phones. I travel between Augusta and Boston several times a month and I have seen some real winners. Lately I have noticed that police (both local & state) have computers in their cars now. I was beside one of these officers the other day. He was typing madly on the computer while trying to drive. How safe it this? And are police any less distracted than the person on the cell? Keep your eyes peeled for these new gadgets. I am sure it is only a matter of time before we can "link up" online while driving.”

Tips, problem traffic areas and questions can be e-mailed to A. J. Higgins at
ajhiggins@centralmaine.com