By Jonathan Graham
Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, Massachusetts)
Copyright 2006 MediaNews Group, Inc. and Mid-States Newspapers, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
FITCHBURG, Mass. — A fleeing suspect slammed his vehicle into the side of a fire truck early Sunday morning while being chased by a state police cruiser, Trooper Tom Ryan said.
Trooper Scott O’Malley attempted to stop the vehicle, for a marked lanes violation on Route 12 at about 2 a.m., Ryan said.
“The driver refused to stop, and a pursuit ensued onto Water Street and then Fulton (Passway), where two passengers bailed out,” Ryan said. “The pursuit then continued, the vehicle traveling through a red light at Summer Street and John Fitch Highway, at which time it struck a Fitchburg fire truck which was en-route to a call.”
Firefighters on the truck gave first aid to the vehicle’s driver, Leominster resident Stephen Larose, 19, of 740 Central St., according to Deputy Fire Chief Ralph Alario.
No firefighters were injured in the crash, Alario said.
Rescue workers transported Larose to HealthAlliance Hospital/Leominster for minor injuries, Ryan said.
Fitchburg police found the two juveniles who had jumped out of the 1988 Oldsmobile Delta, but police filed no charges against them, Ryan said.
Ryan though O’Malley’s was driving a marked cruiser.
The fire department’s report from the incident described his cruiser as unmarked, Alario said.
State police charged Larose with failing to stay within marked lanes, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop at a stop sign, failure to stop for a red light, failure to stop for police, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and speeding, Ryan said.