On Saturday, January 21 2023 at approximately 19:30 hours our photographer captured images of multiple people being taken into custody by Officers as well as Boston EMS following a crash in the area of River Street and West Street in Mattapan.
On scene, a large crime scene tape perimeter had been established and numerous yellow evidence markers or cones were placed on vehicles and next to various belongings. It was unclear at first what was going on. A K-9 Officer could be seen searching the area with his four-legged partner as well.
After reviewing audio recordings of the incident and other police activity during the time, we found that shortly before 19:00 hours a Boston Police Officer reported that a black car with the MA Plate of 333TB8 had almost crashed into the side of his cruiser after blowing through the intersection of Pond Street and Mt. Pleasant Street in Hyde Park.
The Officer pursued the vehicle, which was traveling at approximately 30 miles per hour as it fled the area towards Highland Ave, then Milton Ave, and onto Spring Hill Road. The chase was finally called off at approximately 19:05 hours by the ‘Lima Alpha 81’, the District Lieutenant Detective, as it fled down Metropolitan Ave, as she believed that it was not worth pursuing per the Boston Police rules and regulations governing a police chase.
Less than 5 minutes later, Boston Police received a call stating that there had been shots fired on Bow Street, near the Boston Housing Authority Offices, only a few streets away from where the Officer was almost struck by the erratic driver. As Officers responded to the scene it was still unclear if the two incidents were related. Eventually, it would be discovered that there were no shots fired, but instead just the road rage incident.
About 10 minutes after the original incident and chase, Officers at the E-18 Station on Hyde Park Ave reported that a black and silver sedan was seen passing the station at a high rate of speed, which Officers estimated at 90-100 miles per hour, inbound towards Forest Hills.
Another Officer who was in the area of Gerardo’s Car Service on Hyde Park Ave and Canterbury Street also reported seeing both vehicles passing her a short time later before they circled back down Hyde Park Ave after an accident in the area of Ukraine Way near Forest Hills. The Officer also updated that another woman in a black SUV had also been struck and was now chasing the pair of cars. The group of vehicles, which had now reversed direction began to head back in the direction of the E-18 Station.
Finally, the chaotic insanity came to a head after the involved parties crashed in the area of River Street and West Street. This is where information becomes limited. Multiple people were seen handcuffed and detained on the scene, however, we have been unable to locate any information on who the involved parties are and what if any charges they are facing. What we do know is that a hammer was located on the ground at the scene and there appeared to be damage consistent with blows from the hammer to one of the vehicles.
Additionally, EMS did respond but we were unable to confirm if anyone was transported to the hospital. For now, many questions remain unanswered as we wait for the Boston Police Department to release more information on the incident almost a week later.
