K-9 Tracks, Apprehends Suspect Fleeing From Merrimac Police
A New Hampshire man arrested Monday night ran from police, but couldn’t quite escape an intrepid K-9 named Herc.
During a routine patrol, Merrimac police
officer Robert Coppola ran the license plate of a Jeep Grand Cherokee
that turned out to be registered to Jason Thompson, 38, of Newton,
N.H.—who was wanted on five felony warrants out of Massachusetts.
The car pulled into a random driveway on
Bear Hill Road, where a male passenger told Coppola that Thompson, who
had been driving, was his brother. Thompson had parked the Jeep and
taken off into the woods when he saw the cruiser.
An Amesbury police officer and the
Salisbury K-9 unit responded to Coppola’s call for backup. Coppola and
the K-9 unit pursued Thompson, who had climbed up a pine tree, but fell
out of it when Herc spotted him and began to bark.
Police say Thompson then “unwisely tried
to outrun Herc and was quickly apprehended by him.” He was treated by
EMTs but refused additional medical attention.
Of the arrest, Merrimac Police Chief Eric M. Shears said, “It was an excellent all-around effort.”
Thompson, who was held without bail at the
Middleton House of Corrections on Monday night, faced the following
warrants, according to Merrimac Police:
• Possession of class A and C drugs (Boston)
• Receiving stolen property (motor vehicle) and possession of class C and E drugs (Boston)
• Operating with a suspended license and marked lanes violations (Reading Police/Woburn District Court)
• Larceny over $250 and trespassing (Reading Police/Woburn District Court)
• Operator of a motor vehicle refusing to
identify self, operating with a suspended license, and negligent
operation of a motor vehicle (Natick Police/Natick District Court)
Merrimac police also charged Thompson with
operating with a suspended license, resisting arrest, and disorderly
conduct stemming from Monday night’s incident.
