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Teen arrested after allegedly striking officer with moped
Kwest Howard, 18, allegedly drove his moped into a Boston Police officer while trying to flee a traffic stop.
A Dorchester man is facing several charges after allegedly crashing his moped into a police officer in Downtown Boston, investigators announced Thursday.
Kwest Howard, 18, was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court this week, where he pleaded not guilty to assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, resisting arrest, threats to commit a crime, and disorderly conduct. Howard was released after posting $300 bail, according to a Boston Globe report.
Police said the incident happened around 4:38 p.m. Monday, when officers spotted a person driving a moped in the wrong direction on Washington Street. The operator stopped near 367 Washington St., where officers approached to conduct a traffic stop.
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Investigators said that as officers approached the moped, the operator, later identified as Howard, suddenly accelerated and turned left onto Franklin Street toward one of the officers.
“The officer attempted to signal the operator to stop, but was struck by the moped, causing the officer to be thrown back and the vehicle to crash into a nearby pole. The impact scattered debris across Franklin Street,” Boston Police said in a statement.
The officer who was struck by the moped did not sustain any injuries, according to officials.
Investigators said Howard fled on foot but was quickly detained with the help of a bystander. Howard allegedly resisted officers’ attempts to place him in custody, which created a disturbance that drew onlookers, according to officials.
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“As Howard’s behavior began to draw a crowd, he made threats to shoot officers,” Boston police said.
In addition to the charges, Howard was also issued several citations, including failure to stop for police, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, helmet violation, improper operation of a motor vehicle, and operating an unregistered motor vehicle.
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