BRAINTREE — Chief Mark Dubois reports that the Braintree Police Department has arrested and charged a man in connection with a hit-and-run incident that took place early this morning.
MATTHEW SIMONSON, AGE 36, OF GREENVILLE, N.H. is charged with:
- Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon (Motor Vehicle)
- Leaving the Scene of Person Injury
- Leaving the Scene of Property Damage
- Operating to Endanger
On Tuesday, Feb. 23 at approximately 3:30 a.m., a Braintree Police officer was on patrol in the area of Dave and Buster’s at the South Shore Plaza when he was flagged down by a motorist who stated he had just witnessed a hit-and-run in the area.
The officer searched the immediate area and located a gold four-door sedan with extremely heavy body damage to the front end in a parking lot outside Dave and Buster’s. He then witnessed the operator of the vehicle, later identified as SIMONSON, jump out of the vehicle, look around, and then return to the vehicle. Once SIMONSON noticed the officer he immediately began to flee on foot into the woods behind Dave and Buster’s.
Additional officers from Braintree Police, Quincy Police and a Randolph Police K-9 unit quickly arrived and set up a perimeter around the location and searched for the suspect. SIMONSON was located in the woods and taken into custody by Braintree Police.
The victim of the hit-and-run, a 36-year-old male from Randolph, later told police that he noticed a suspicious vehicle following him while driving home on Route 2 near Concord. Despite making several obscure turns the vehicle kept following him. After approximately 50 miles he pulled off the highway and drove through Randolph, eventually stopping at a stop light in Braintree near the Five Corners intersection on Granite Street. At that point a man later identified as SIMONSON exited his vehicle and tried to gain entry into the victim’s vehicle. After his attempt was unsuccessful SIMONSON returned to his vehicle.
The victim then exited his vehicle and attempted to confront SIMONSON, but SIMONSON re-entered his vehicle and accelerated toward the victim, striking his car and then striking the victim. The victim then witnessed SIMONSON strike a telephone pole before driving away down Granite Street toward the South Shore Plaza.
A few minutes later while SIMONSON was being pursued by police, the victim called 911 to report what had happened. The description of the incident matched with that police had been told by the witness, which gave police additional reason to suspect SIMONSON was an immediate threat.
The victim was treated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries by Brewster Ambulance.
“I want to commend all of the officers involved in this arrest, including those from Quincy and Randolph who provided assistance,” Chief Dubois said. “Through thorough and cooperative police work these officers were able to quickly bring the suspect into custody without any further incident.”
The incident remains under investigation by the Braintree Police Department.
SIMONSON is currently being held on bail.
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