GREENFIELD — Two police officers were injured during a foot pursuit with a juvenile suspect who was suspected of stealing a motor vehicle in New Hampshire.
Officer Patrick Buchanan and Sgt. Stephen Westerling both fell while trying to arrest the suspect in a foot chase around the grounds of Baystate Franklin Medical Center. They did end up arresting the suspect, before heading to the hospital under their own power.
“That’s what they do. That is their job and they did it well,” Police Chief Robert Haigh said. “Not every arrest is as easy as we’d like it to be.”
Haigh said that one sustained an injury to his hand while the other sustained injuries to his hand, shoulder and face. Buchanan is out for six weeks and Westerling is out on a week-to-week basis, Lt. William Gordon said.
“I’m just happy they were able to get the arrest and get their treatment,” Haigh said.
The officers were alerted that a stolen car had headed south down Interstate 91, from Brattleboro at around 11:18 a.m. Sunday. Westerling found the car that matched up with the description around noon. Buchanan and two state police units were called in to assist.
Westerling attempted to arrest the 17-year-old suspect, but he broke free — setting off a foot chase.
The chase started at the entrance of the hospital’s emergency room and then crossed over to the Sanderson Street medical building’s parking lot. The suspect then jumped a fence to the backyards of homes on High Street. He then crossed over to Madison Circle in the area of Tulip Lane, in a chase that took minutes.
The sergeant tripped, hurting himself. During the chase, Buchanan also tripped and also sustained injuries.
Nonetheless the officers caught the suspect. He was arrested and charged with resisting arrest, receiving a stolen motor vehicle and being a fugitive from justice. The car was recovered near the hospital.
You can reach Joshua Solomon at:
jsolomon@recorder.com
413-772-0261, ext. 264