Massachusetts State Police pursued a stolen car through traffic on multiple highways on Monday afternoon until it lost control and crashed, officials said. The vehicle was initially reported stolen from Peabody and had previously eluded other police departments, state police spokesperson Dave Procopio said. The Massachusetts State Police Air Wing initially spotted the stolen 2022 Lexus IS in Ashland at approximately 2 p.m. and began to follow as it traveled on Route 9 through Southborough and Westborough, Procopio said. The vehicle continued onto Interstate 495 northbound. Sky 5 was overhead as cruisers and a state police helicopter pursued the white Lexus, which was moving at high speeds and appeared to be missing a tire. A piece of the rear bumper was also flapping in the wind.After initially exiting I-495 northbound in Bolton, the vehicle briefly took a ramp in the wrong direction as it tried to re-enter the highway. It went over a median between ramps to rejoin the southbound side. (Video below)Several cars were hit as the vehicle took the ramp from I-495 to I-290 as Sky5 was overhead. (Video below)Troopers set up a tire deflation device on the westbound side of I-290 westbound between Solomon Pond Road in Marlborough and Green Street in Northborough. After striking the device, the car swerved, lost control and skidded off the road, into a median, on I-290 near Green Street in Northborough. (Video below) The owner of the Lexus sedan involved in the chase and crash said the vehicle was stolen from outside of his Peabody home overnight.”Obviously, I was upset but there’s really nothing I could do. It wasn’t in my control,” the owner of the stolen car said.The man said he used his vehicle’s built-in GPS to track the car’s movements throughout the day. His tracking app shows the thieves made multiple stops in the Rhode Island communities of Providence and Lincoln.”It was going everywhere,” he said. “They went to Burger King. I saw receipts in the car. They went to Burger King, McDonald’s. They had a good time.”The owner of the stolen car and his brother said they relayed the movements of the Lexus to police.”We were tracking it. I would give out the closest cross streets,” the man’s brother said. “We’d go back and forth, and then they eventually caught up with the Air Wing.”The man’s Lexus was left badly damaged by the crash, with a chunk missing from the left front corner of the car and large dents to the rear driver’s side.”I worked so hard for it. I’ve only had it for six or seven months,” the owner of the car said. “I put a lot of money into it, a lot of time, and then it just rips apart in front of you. It kind of sucks.”The man, however, said he is thankful that no one was seriously injured during the incident.”They were going crazy. That’s not good, putting other people’s lives in harm,” he said. “That’s not right.”Troopers following the pursuit stopped quickly and emerged with their weapons drawn. Three people were taken into custody on the grass of the median. Two were taken to a hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries. The third suspect, a juvenile, was taken to the State Police-Leominster Barracks for booking. Commenting on the incident during NewsCenter 5’s live coverage, former Boston Police Commissioner William Evans explained that the typical policies governing when officers or troopers enter into a pursuit will be based on the severity of the crime and the danger posed by the situation. “It all depends what they’re chasing,” he said. “Obviously if it’s a serious felony, a shooting or whatnot, we usually let the officers pursue. But I’ve got to tell you, in this day and age, you know, what we do with someone who steals a car inside the court, it’s not worth putting anyone’s life in danger for.”Evans continued, “I don’t know the particulars and why they were chasing here. There might be a whole lot to it but, you know, there’s a lot of danger in chasing cars in broad daylight when so many people are out.” (Video below) Procopio wrote the following in an email to NewsCenter 5 in response to a request for comment on Massachusetts State Police protocols when pursuing a suspect vehicle:”For the record, we have a rigorous pursuit policy that governs when and how we pursue suspect vehicles. Further, a commissioned officer in the troop where the pursuit is occurring authorizes and assumes command and control of every pursuit in real time and remains in constant radio communication with the pursuing troopers, continually monitoring such factors as speed, traffic volume, and density of the surrounding area to determine whether the pursuit should proceed or be terminated. We are confident in the rigor and propriety of our pursuit policy.”
NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. —
Massachusetts State Police pursued a stolen car through traffic on multiple highways on Monday afternoon until it lost control and crashed, officials said.
The vehicle was initially reported stolen from Peabody and had previously eluded other police departments, state police spokesperson Dave Procopio said.
The Massachusetts State Police Air Wing initially spotted the stolen 2022 Lexus IS in Ashland at approximately 2 p.m. and began to follow as it traveled on Route 9 through Southborough and Westborough, Procopio said. The vehicle continued onto Interstate 495 northbound.
Sky 5 was overhead as cruisers and a state police helicopter pursued the white Lexus, which was moving at high speeds and appeared to be missing a tire. A piece of the rear bumper was also flapping in the wind.
After initially exiting I-495 northbound in Bolton, the vehicle briefly took a ramp in the wrong direction as it tried to re-enter the highway. It went over a median between ramps to rejoin the southbound side. (Video below)
Several cars were hit as the vehicle took the ramp from I-495 to I-290 as Sky5 was overhead. (Video below)
Troopers set up a tire deflation device on the westbound side of I-290 westbound between Solomon Pond Road in Marlborough and Green Street in Northborough. After striking the device, the car swerved, lost control and skidded off the road, into a median, on I-290 near Green Street in Northborough. (Video below)
The owner of the Lexus sedan involved in the chase and crash said the vehicle was stolen from outside of his Peabody home overnight.
“Obviously, I was upset but there’s really nothing I could do. It wasn’t in my control,” the owner of the stolen car said.
The man said he used his vehicle’s built-in GPS to track the car’s movements throughout the day. His tracking app shows the thieves made multiple stops in the Rhode Island communities of Providence and Lincoln.
“It was going everywhere,” he said. “They went to Burger King. I saw receipts in the car. They went to Burger King, McDonald’s. They had a good time.”
The owner of the stolen car and his brother said they relayed the movements of the Lexus to police.
“We were tracking it. I would give out the closest cross streets,” the man’s brother said. “We’d go back and forth, and then they eventually caught up with the Air Wing.”
The man’s Lexus was left badly damaged by the crash, with a chunk missing from the left front corner of the car and large dents to the rear driver’s side.
“I worked so hard for it. I’ve only had it for six or seven months,” the owner of the car said. “I put a lot of money into it, a lot of time, and then it just rips apart in front of you. It kind of sucks.”
WCVB/John Atwater
The man, however, said he is thankful that no one was seriously injured during the incident.
“They were going crazy. That’s not good, putting other people’s lives in harm,” he said. “That’s not right.”
Troopers following the pursuit stopped quickly and emerged with their weapons drawn. Three people were taken into custody on the grass of the median. Two were taken to a hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries.
The third suspect, a juvenile, was taken to the State Police-Leominster Barracks for booking.
Commenting on the incident during NewsCenter 5’s live coverage, former Boston Police Commissioner William Evans explained that the typical policies governing when officers or troopers enter into a pursuit will be based on the severity of the crime and the danger posed by the situation.
“It all depends what they’re chasing,” he said. “Obviously if it’s a serious felony, a shooting or whatnot, we usually let the officers pursue. But I’ve got to tell you, in this day and age, you know, what we do with someone who steals a car inside the court, it’s not worth putting anyone’s life in danger for.”
Evans continued, “I don’t know the particulars and why they were chasing here. There might be a whole lot to it but, you know, there’s a lot of danger in chasing cars in broad daylight when so many people are out.” (Video below)
Procopio wrote the following in an email to NewsCenter 5 in response to a request for comment on Massachusetts State Police protocols when pursuing a suspect vehicle:
“For the record, we have a rigorous pursuit policy that governs when and how we pursue suspect vehicles. Further, a commissioned officer in the troop where the pursuit is occurring authorizes and assumes command and control of every pursuit in real time and remains in constant radio communication with the pursuing troopers, continually monitoring such factors as speed, traffic volume, and density of the surrounding area to determine whether the pursuit should proceed or be terminated. We are confident in the rigor and propriety of our pursuit policy.”