Recently in Chases Category

A 19-year-old Lowell man was killed at the scene of a single car crash on Pawtucket Boulevard near Sampas Pavillion early this morning.

Police were called to the inbound lanes near the pavilion about 6 a.m., and found a silver Lexus sedan crashed into a utility pole near the entrance to the parking lot for the pavilion and Rynne Beach.

The 19-year-old driver was pronounced dead at the scene, and a young female passenger was extricated from the car and taken to Lowell General Hospital with serious but non life-threatening injuries.

Tony Mennella has lived on the other side of the boulevard for 18 years. He told me there have been 13 crashes there over the years, including three fatals.

This photo is courtesy Walter Kulis.

He said drivers frequently speed on the boulevard, and get into particular trouble on that stretch because of the way the road curves. Mennella would really like to see more patrols in the area, and other safety improvements as well.

Police haven't said whether the driver in yesterday's crash was speeding, but I often hear cars racing up and down the boulevard all the way from my apartment on Christian Hill.

"Something has got to be done," Mennella said. "It's a sad thing."

The Traffic Bureau is reconstructing the accident, so police have not commented on a cause. Police have not identified those involved.

I did talk to some friends at the scene tonight who told me who the driver is, but we're not going to publish that name until it's confirmed by police or family. I was unable to reach any family members tonight.

Friends at the scene, where there is a makeshift memorial around a telephone pole, said the driver was a sports fanatic, known for dressing well and being in great shape.

"He was a good kid," said one friend.

At least six cars got banged up tonight as a result of a police chase that started when detectives saw four Asian males in a black Cadillac Escalade cruising around the North Common as if they were looking for someone.

Detectives tried to stop the Escalade after noting several motor vehicle violations at 7:09 p.m., but the driver took off and ended up on Pawtucket Street, where he grazed a Honda with two young children in the back.

Police continued the pursuit to Arcand Drive, and Capt. Kelly Richardson called off the chase since it was approaching the busy downtown.

It was also about that time when officers with the gang unit recognized the partial plate detectives broadcast as that of an Escalade who's owner is known to them. It's registered to a woman who lives on Avenue A in Lowell, and police seemed familiar with her boyfriend.

Police spotted the Escalade again near East Merrimack Street, where Heather Mayo, of Dracut, was having dinner outside the Blue Taleh with her family.

She said she Escalade "flew around the corner" and was straddling the yellow line when it sideswiped the tan Mazda minivan pictured in this entry and forced it into a series of parked cars.

The woman pictured above suffered minor injuries when all the vehicles were struck in front of Middlesex Community College, but that's basically where the chase ended. Capt. Richardson called it off a second time just to make sure no one was still in pursuit.

The Escalade was last seen heading outbound on Andover Street.

Surrounding towns were asked to keep an eye out for it. It's Massachusetts License Plate is DON DVA. Surrounding towns were warned the occupants might be armed.

Anyone with information on the vehicle's whereabouts should call Lowell Police at 978.937.3200.

I finally got a chance tonight to talk at length with Deputy Ryan about Saturday's incident in which a man took three hostages while trying to rob a downtown bank, and then fired two shots at police before killing himself.

Here, though, is a pretty detailed accounting of Saturday's events, along with a photo of Sgt. Morrill, areas associated with the incident, and some commentary at the end.

LOWELL -- He wore a suit, tie and glasses and carried a briefcase, but after entering the Lowell Co-operative Savings Bank on Hurd Street just before closing time Saturday, the man pulled a handgun and took three hostages.
Soon, he would try to take a cop hostage, too.
Three unidentified bank employees had already been tied up when police say William Champagne began emptying drawers and grabbing cash, setting off a silent bank alarm in the process.
Sgt. Stephen Morrill, a 23-year police veteran who works as a street supervisor downtown, was just around the corner when he overheard a routine call for a bank alarm at 1:10 p.m. The bank was supposed to be closed at 1.
"This is clearly one of those situations where a call that is rather common for the Lowell Police Department turned out to be a very uncommon situation," Deputy Superintendent Arthur Ryan Jr. said yesterday as he provided a detailed account of Saturday's incident.
Police declined to make Morrill available for an interview.

What follows is the description of events as provided by Deputy Ryan.
Morrill arrived at the bank and peeked in a window. He saw someone inside.
"As he's looking inside, Champagne opens the door, shows him a gun and tries to take Morrill hostage," Ryan said.
Morrill immediately retreated from the door and drew his own handgun, taking cover behind a nearby parked car.
As he did, Champagne ran from the bank, across Hurd Street and into a narrow alley that runs from Hurd Street to Green Street about 100 feet away.

Morrill followed, being sure to keep cover behind a car, but as he entered the alley he saw Champagne pull back the slide on his handgun to chamber a round.
Morrill stepped away from the car and took cover behind a building just as Champagne fired a gunshot into the car Morrill had been behind.
Champagne ran to the end of the alley, then turned and fired another shot into the car.
Ryan praised Morrill for relying on his training, instincts and awareness and for being cool enough not to shoot back at Champagne in such a crowded location downtown.
"The alley ends at Green Street, where cars could be coming by, and there's a parking lot," Ryan said. "It's not a good spot for Morrill to return fire at that distance."
Despite being shot at, Morrill also had the presence of mind to keep other officers and dispatchers informed of what direction Champagne was headed, Ryan said.
"With full knowledge, he pursued an armed bank robber into an alley, and even after being fired on, he didn't just stop," Ryan said. "He continued to let other officers know what was going on and continued the pursuit."
By the time Morrill continued chasing Champagne down the alley onto Green Street, and then Central Street, more than a dozen officers, including Capt. James McPadden and three other officers conducting traffic patrols nearby, were converging on the area. Officers from UMass Lowell and the National Park Service also rushed to the scene.
A retired Lowell police officer who works as a security guard at Washington Savings Bank, at the corner of Middlesex and Gorham streets, told officers he saw the man they were chasing duck down an alley between Middlesex and Jackson streets.
Officers soon realized Champagne was somewhere along that alley and found him on a roof about 20 feet up a cast-iron fire escape behind Cappy's Copper Kettle at 245 Central St.

McPadden and Lt. Barry Golner began organizing more than a dozen officers, sending some to surround the suspect, others to the bank and others to clear everyone out of 245 Central St., in case Champagne was inside and trying to take more hostages.
"It was pretty clear he did not want to go back to jail," Ryan said of Champagne. "He did not want to get arrested, and in that type of desperation, bad things happen."
The officers sent to the bank found three employees tied up but uninjured. A state police helicopter and SWAT team were on their way.
Champagne continued talking to officers as he crouched on the roof behind 245 Central St.
"After a short conversation with Champagne, officers heard a single gunshot come from the rooftop," Ryan said.
Police confirmed Champagne shot himself. Officer Michael Sylvester and other officers rushed to provide first aid and kept Champagne breathing until EMTs arrived.

Ryan would not say exactly what Champagne said to officers as he hid on the roof behind 245 Central St., but said he provided no warning that he was thinking of taking his own life.
"He gave no indication that he was about to do that," Ryan said.
Champagne was taken to Cawley Stadium and flown to Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, where he died about 3:30 p.m.
Prosecutors have said they believe Champagne acted alone.
"This is one of the dangers of police work," Ryan said. "Even though you go to 100 alarm calls that turn out to be false, you can't assume the next one is going to be false."

I've known Sgt. Morrill for a while now thanks to some time he spent working early nights up until a few years ago. None of this surprises me at all, although I bet he will really hate getting so much attention when he sees tomorrow's paper.

A few seconds later police caught the guy on Cabot Street, just around the block.

I ran out to Gorman Street, a small dead end in Back Central tonight about 7 because I heard a motor vehicle pursuit in which it sounded like the driver, who was allegedly drunk, had turned down a dead end.

I thought that sounded a little amusing, but the reality was more sad.

Police say Michael Davis, 54, of 64 Gorman St., actually drove home as a police cruiser was in pursuit.

He is accused of striking a car on Gorham Street in front of Santoros. An officer then saw Davis blow past him going about 70 on Gorham Street, but Davis wouldn't stop when the officer gave chase, police said.

I arrived at the end of Gorman Street to see a girl crying her eyes out, and several small children wandering around as Davis stood in handcuffs right in front of his family and neighbors.

Officer Jason Burd poured a pounder can of Bud Light out onto the ground. Davis had allegedly been drinking it as he drove.

Davis was charged with OUI-third offense, failure to stop for police, operating to endanger, failure to pass safely, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, failure to stop at a red light, open container in a motor vehicle, marked lanes violation and a seatbelt violation.

Police got called to a report of a car into a pole at Aiken and Lakeview tonight at 11:05 p.m., and came upon a hit and run that sent at least three people to the hospital.

Reports are that the car pictured above had a green light on Aiken when it was struck by a red Honda that fled the scene. The 20-year-old girl pictured here was taken to the hospital, but she was talking to Trinity EMT's on her way into the ambulance.

Moments later police found several boys next to a liquor store two blocks away and discovered they had been in the car with the hit and run driver.

I'm told the driver stopped at the liquor store, told them to get out and then slammed the door and sped off toward Dracut.

The passenger pictured above took a good knock to the head and was bleeding since head wounds do that, but he too was conscious and appeared to be okay.
Tough kid -- he didn't want to go to the hospital but the Trinity EMT's let him know they weren't giving him a choice since he knocked his head pretty good.

A second passenger had a gash on his forehead too and was also transported to get it checked out. He was up and walking around, though.

Police got the driver's name from a witness to the crash who was on Lakeview Avenue and happened to know the driver, as well as the kids he kicked out of his car, so they were already looking for him last night.

If I was that kid I'd come forward first. It would look a lot better in court.

Two women were taken to the hospital this afternoon after the pickup truck they were in rolled over into the median on 495 north near where Route 4 passes overhead a little after 5 p.m.

No word on what caused the crash, but police said a 45-year-old woman and a 71-year-old woman were both hospitalized. One went to Lahey Clinic in Burlington, the other to Lowell General Hospital. No life-threatening injuries.

This happened right about the time the thunderstorms went through, but it sounded like it might have been more medical-issue-related than storm-related. Police couldn't say for sure yet.

There's a two-car accident with injury on Princeton Boulevard that just got called in. Reportedly backing up traffic on the Rourke Bridge. Police are calling for additional units to handle traffic.

Avoid the area and I'll get some more details on the crash later.