New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
“Early this morning Troopers responded to assist members of the Tewksbury Police Department where a K-9 officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that intentionally backed into the cruiser before fleeing the scene. Luckily, the Tewksbury Officer was not injured.
Officers observed the vehicle a short time later abandoned in the front yard of a residence on Andover Street. Troopers arrived at that address to assist Tewksbury Officers. While on scene, a 911 call was received stating the residents inside of a home, only a few houses up from where the vehicle was located, observed a man with a flashlight in their backyard. The Tewksbury Police K-9 deployed in that area and attempted to detect a scent trail leading to the suspect.
A short time later Trooper Dan Purtell, with K-9 Binks, arrived in the area. Trooper Purtell observed a suspicious vehicle and conducted a stop to investigate. The operator informed Trooper Purtell that he drives for a rideshare service and was heading to pick up a passenger at a nearby residence. The individual never arrived for the pickup at which point Trooper Purtell deployed K-9 Binks from the backyard of the intended pickup point.
Binks quickly displayed odor recognition and air scents through heavy brush then toward a large field. The team worked in and out of several back yards eventually emerging from the woods behind a school. K-9 Binks then displayed a proximity alert and became frantic pulling around the school into the front yard.
Once around the building, Troopers observed a shirtless male walking approximately 500 feet ahead of them. Another Trooper, who was en route in his cruiser to retrieve Trooper Purtell and K-9 Binks, was instructed to get ahead of their location due to the proximity alert. That Trooper was able to make contact with the individual, who had numerous bug bites in addition to thorns and grass stuck to his clothing, and detain him without incident.
The tracking team and Tewksbury Police, including their K-9, arrived shortly thereafter and was able to positively identify the suspect. He was placed under arrest and transported to Tewksbury Police for booking.”-Massachusetts State Police.
Massachusetts State Police photo,
