On Monday August 1 at 1:10pm Rochester Police received a call reporting an erratic operator driving a Chevy Blazer on Mary’s Pond Road near Pierce Street. The reporting party stated the Blazer was all over the road and driving in the wrong lane. As officers headed toward the area, the reporting party said that the operator of the Blazer had pulled over, exited his vehicle and began to strike it repeatedly with a hatchet.
Sergeant Robert Small arrived on scene and observed the man striking his own vehicle with the hatchet. Upon seeing the cruiser, he began to flee on foot. Sgt Small followed in his cruiser until the man stopped, turned around, raised the hatchet and began to run toward the cruiser.
As Sgt Small prepared to exit his cruiser and encounter the man, he ran past the cruiser and got back in his vehicle and fled. With assistance from Rochester Officer Robert Nordahl he was pursued through Rochester, Acushnet and into New Bedford. During the pursuit he threw items from the car and poured lighter fluid on himself and on the vehicle. He was also waiving the hatchet out the window as he drove.
Rochester police terminated the pursuit in New Bedford once New Bedford Police entered into the chase. As the officers made their way back to town, the chase circled back through Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, Marion and Wareham. Several attempts were made to stop the vehicle with spike strips but they were not successful. The chase continued back through Mattapoisett, Fairhaven and eventually back into New Bedford where the suspect abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot. He was taken into custody by the State Police.
Rochester Police are filing charges in Wareham District Court against the driver, 50-year-old Randall W. Harrison of Summer Street in New Bedford. Harrison will be charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stay in marked lanes, disorderly conduct, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, failure to stop for a stop sign and failure to stop for police.
Rochester Police Chief Paul Magee says that Harrison has a lengthy criminal history including resisting arrest and negligent operation and that his driving history with the Registry of Motor Vehicles is extensive with multiple license suspensions and offenses dating back to 1989. Rochester Police have filed an immediate threat request with the registry to have his license suspended immediately.
Chief Magee said that the chase was primarily at low speeds. Magee said he is happy that this dangerous person was taken into custody and that none of the involved officers or any citizens were injured.
Rochester Police Department Press Release