GREENFIELD — The New Hampshire man accused of stabbing a state trooper in October following a high-speed chase that ended in New Salem pleaded innocent in Franklin Superior Court on Wednesday to the eight charges he faces.
Nghia V. Le, 18, of Manchester, N.H., has been charged with armed assault with intent to murder, armed assault with intent to rob, mayhem, aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, armed carjacking, assault and battery upon a public employee, assault with a dangerous weapon, and reckless operation. He is being held without bail at the Franklin County House of Correction in Greenfield.
He is represented by Lowell attorney Steve Rappaport and was indicted Friday by a Franklin County grand jury. First Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Steven Gagne is prosecuting the case.
The state says Le stabbed and tried to kill State Trooper Mark Whitcomb on Oct. 19 following a high-speed chase that ended in New Salem when the vehicle Le was driving crashed into an object near the intersection of Route 202 and Fay Road. Le was shot by police and taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, from which he was released on Oct. 26.
Whitcomb’s friends and family had no comment at Wednesday’s arraignment. A handful of troopers showed up to support and show a sign of solidarity with Whitcomb. State Police Maj. Michael Ha bel said Whitcomb is “doing OK.”
Rappaport told Judge John Agostini that Le had no run-ins with the law until seven or eight months ago. He said charges against Le in New Hampshire are for “domestic-sort of crimes,” including stalking and mischief. He said Le’s parents called the police after they caught him burning sneakers on a wood deck at their home. Rappaport told Agostini that Le and his parents have reconciled but a no-contact order has prevented the parents from visiting their son where he is being detained. Agostini said he did not want to overstep his authority by attempting to rescind the order, but would be interested in learning what can be done.
According to police, Le was involved in a motor vehicle crash in Walpole, N.H., on Oct. 19 and stole a Toyota Camry belonging to the other driver, a 72-year-old woman. Le allegedly fled to Vermont, and then south down Interstate 91 to Massachusetts. Whitcomb eventually joined the pursuit and after the crash in New Salem strategically parked his car “nose to nose” with the vehicle Le had been driving.
Le then allegedly exited the vehicle, approached Whitcomb’s police cruiser, opened the door and began stabbing him, lashing out with “seven or eight swings of the knife.” Whitcomb, 47 at the time, is a roughly 12-year veteran of the force and is a husband and father.
At the scene of the incident on Oct. 19, Gagne said it’s believed Le would have continued to flee, and that he attempted to steal Whitcomb’s cruiser after Whitcomb was able to exit the vehicle and escape the attack. Le was unable to put the car into gear, Gagne said, and Erving Police Officer James Loynd fired into the vehicle. Le then exited the vehicle, disobeying Loynd’s orders to show his hands, and moved toward Loynd, who fired another four shots at Le, hitting him in the torso.
On Wednesday, Gagne said the armed carjacking charge Le faces pertains not to the alleged car theft in New Hampshire but to the alleged attempt to steal the police cruiser. He said a carjacking attempt does not need to be successful to meet the carjacking statute in Massachusetts.
Le is scheduled to appear back in court for a pre-trial hearing at 2 p.m. on March 15, 2019.
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.