Stop for Seatbelt Violations Turns Ugly Fast

When officers in Freetown, MA pulled over a car for seatbelt violations they got more than they expected. The car’s two occupants claimed not to be carrying their driver’s licenses. When names were given, one didn’t exist and the other belonged to someone of a completely different appearance, based on the police database. When asked to step out of the car, the occupants attempted to escape.

One of the occupants made a dash across the highway, only to be stopped at the high speed lane by one of the officers. A struggle ensued and continued while cars drove by on the highway just a few feet away. Once the other occupant was secured a second officer joined the fray.

A third officer joined in, once the vehicle was secured as well, and with two officers applying TASER jolts, the suspect finally surrendered.

All the officers involved were commended by the town’s Board of Selectmen and the Chief of Police.

Dangerous Situation Properly Managed
There were so many places where this situation could have gone dangerously wrong. Running across several lanes of traffic, wrestling a suspect on the side of a busy highway and confronting two questionable individuals at once. The officers acted professionally, efficiently and effectively to end a potentially lethal situation as quickly as possible.

Police officers face exceptional risks when they stop a vehicle. They have no way of knowing just what they will find inside. Fortunately this situation ended well, with both parties in custody and a wanted man detained for trial.

TASERs provide an effective way to disable a suspect without lethal force and help reduce the dangers to which police officers are subject. This suspect was clearly eager to escape even at significant risk, or he wouldn’t have run across a busy highway. The quick thinking and accurate aim of the two officers ended a potentially lethal situation appropriately.