Police say Ramon Cruz, 31, of Moody Street, pictured below, took off when Officer Chad Collins approached him on foot somewhere around Middlesex or Appleton Street Sunday night about 9 p.m.

Collins gave chase and caught Cruz just across the Hamilton Canal near the old Freudenburg Building. Police say Cruz had several bags of heroin and coke on him, and was wanted on a default warrant.
Here is a picture of Officer Robert Rayne searching Cruz at the scene.

Cruz was booked for disorderly conduct, and possession of heroin and cocaine.
Collins is a fairly new officer. He came to Lowell PD in late 2007 on a lateral transfer from Marblehead Police; one of four officers Superintendent Lavallee brought in to boost the department's ranks.
He was on a downtown walking patrol when he tried to talk to Cruz, only to have Cruz take off running.

Collins still had his hat on at the scene, which I had to ask him about later. How did he chase this guy down without even losing his hat? He said his shaved head just stuck to the leather band on the inside.