Crime & Safety
UPDATED: Two Jamaica Plain Men Arrested After Leading Police on Chase in Stolen Car and Hitting a Pedestrian
The car was also involved in a three-car crash. The driver and a passenger fled on foot and were captured.
Two Jamaica Plain men are under arrest after leading police on a chase in a stolen car. The car hit a pedestrian and later wrecked with two other vehicles.
Police began following the vehicle after seeing it had a "disfigured plate." After running its plates and finding it to be stolen, the officers turned on their lights and sirens at Columbus and Dimock. The car sped away, taking a right onto Dimock.
Officers saw someone "hobbling on the side of the road," the driver of the stolen car having apparently hit the person.
Find out what's happening in Jamaica Plainwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The stolen car continued on Dimock and took a right on Cobden Street going the wrong way. That's when, police say, a supervisor told all units to stop the chase. It is department policy that supervisors, dispatchers or officers themselves may choose to stop a chase if the situation becomes potentially dangerous, said Officer Eddy Chrispin.
"In urban areas, you have to err on the side of caution," he said.
Find out what's happening in Jamaica Plainwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The stolen car went onto Walnut Aveune, where it hit an occupied motor vehicle. A detail officer spotted what was happening. The car continued to Seaver Street and became disabed after hitting a second car, police said.
Two men fled from the car on foot and were captured. According to scanner traffic, one was arrested near in Franklin Park. Police dogs were brought in during that search. According to AlertNewEngland, a suspect was captured near the Franklin Park Zoo bear cages.
The driver, Michael Johnson, 39, of Jamaica Plain, was arrested and charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle, failure to stop for police, driving to endanger, hit-and-run causing injuries, driving without a license and civil infractions. The passenger, Stedmon Hill, 37, of Jamaica Plain was charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle.
Some streets were temporarily closed in Egleston as a result of the incident.
The pedestrian who was struck and the two men arrested were all taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, police said.
[Editor's note: This story has been updated since initial posting with new details from police.]