For Immediate Release
Monday, August 11, 2014
Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 781-791-7627
Email: [email protected]
Burlington Police Arrest Suspect After Pursuit
Officer Fires Service Weapon after Suspect Speeds at Him
BURLINGTON — Police Chief Michael R. Kent announces that Burlington Police arrested a Maryland man who sped away from police at the Burlington Mall, struck a police cruiser and tried to run down an officer directing traffic before crashing into two other vehicles.
ROBERT D. HAUGHT JR. AGE 42 OF COLLEGE PARK, Md. was arrested after crashing a white minivan on Cambridge Street near Center Street. He has been charged with:
- Assault with Intent to Murder
- Attempted Murder
- Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon
- Leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident with property damage
- Leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident with personal injury (two counts)
- Failure to stop for police
- Attaching plates
- Marked lanes violations
- Speeding
- Reckless operation
Additionally, police saw, in plain view, a stack of credit cards and several high-end boxed electronics in the minivan when HAUGHT was arrested. Police suspect that HAUGHT was involved in a credit card fraud operation. Police are seeking a warrant to search the vehicle, and additional charges may be forthcoming.
A Burlington Police Traffic Unit was on patrol at the Burlington Mall at about 7 p.m. when he came upon the white minivan idling in a handicapped space with no driver inside. The officer ran the plates, which came back to a different vehicle. As the officer approached to investigate, HAUGHT allegedly entered via the passenger side door and sped away. Police gave pursuit. HAUGHT allegedly crashed into a police vehicle before he rounded a corner northbound near Cambridge and Center streets, where a Burlington Police Officer was standing directing traffic.
The officer, fearing for his life, fired two shots from his service weapon as a suspect drove toward him at a high rate of speed.
The suspect was not struck. HAUGHT then allegedly swerved around the officer and struck two civilian vehicles in the southbound lane, coming to a rest near a utility pole. HAUGHT was arrested at the scene. The driver of one of the civilian vehicles, a woman, was taken to Lahey Hospital and Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Two children in the car were not injured.
HAUGHT is being held at the Burlington Police Department and will likely be arraigned tomorrow at Woburn District Court.
The officer who fired his weapon was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings.
The pursuit was monitored at all times by a Burlington Police supervisor at Police Headquarters.
Burlington Police were assisted by the Massachusetts State Police and Woburn Police at the scene. Burlington Fire, Woburn Fire, and Armstrong Ambulance responded to the scene as well.
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