Pursuit of ‘disturbed’ man in North Reading ends in fiery crash
The pursuit of a man who police say was “disturbed” and behaving bizarrely in a car ended when he crashed into a utility pole Monday evening, authorities said.
North Reading police said the incident began when the department received multiple calls around 6:30 p.m. about a man “acting strangely and irrationally” in a vehicle stopped at the intersection of Route 28 and Route 62, interrupting traffic. Responding officers said they found a 67-year-old man from York, Maine, inside the gray 2009 Nissan Maxima “screaming and pulling at his hair, exhibiting bizarre behavior.”
Police said before the officers could do anything, the man drove off.
The roadway was closed during the pursuit, which ranged with speeds as low as 5 mph at times. The man, who police have not publicly identified, was driving erratically and swerving across the road. Police said he narrowly missed several utility poles before he sped up and veered off the road, crashing into a pole.
The impact caused the car to flip and catch fire. Officers and fire fighters rescued the driver and transported him to an area hospital. Multiple charges are pending against him, according to police.
Investigation and cleanup of the crash caused the closure of Route 28 for over two hours.
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