# Two Mendon police officers injured



## Nachtwächter (Dec 9, 2005)

*Two Mendon police officers injured*

*
By Christopher Sinacola
TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
*

* 
UPTON- * Two Mendon police officers were injured in a police chase late this afternoon that ended with a crash just over the town line in Upton.

According to police radio reports, the chase began at about 5:20 p.m. along Bellingham Street in the south part of Mendon when a motorist failed to stop for a police officer. The chase proceeded north along Providence Street and North Avenue at speeds of 70 to 80 miles per hour.

The chase ended with a crash near the intersection of Chestnut Street and Mendon Street in Upton. A suspect in the vehicle being pursued was taken into custody. A Mendon police officer was injured at the crash scene and was being taken by ambulance to the hospital.

According to reports, a second officer was injured in the area of Mendon Center and was also being transported by ambulance to the hospital.

According to radio reports, several motorists were cut off by the fleeing vehicle and nearly forced off the road.

A State Police accident reconstruction team arrived at the crash scene shortly after 5:30 p.m.

Additional police officers were called in to handle the accident scenes, and Hopedale police were providing coverage to assist with any calls in Mendon.

The seriousness of the officers' injuries was not immediately available.

See tomorrow's Telegram & Gazette for more details.


----------



## SGT_GRUNT_USMC (May 31, 2004)

My sister lives in Mendon.I hope those officers are OK.


----------



## Pvt. Cowboy (Jan 26, 2005)

I work in Mendon. From what I gathered, there was a pursuit and one of the cruisers had a collision with another car. The only reason I'm aware of this is because the vehicle that the cruiser struck, was the husband of the secretary that works with me.


----------



## Nachtwächter (Dec 9, 2005)

*Cruiser rams SUV to stop it*

Chase in Mendon, Upton

* By Kevin Keenan TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
*

* 
MENDON- * Two police officers were hospitalized last night and a Milford man was arrested after he led police on a wild chase through the center of town, through a busy intersection and into Upton, where police ran his sport utility vehicle off the road.

Sgt. Brian Massey and Officer Edward Pokornicki Jr. were both treated for minor injuries at Milford Regional Medical Center and released, Police Chief Ernest H. Horn said.

Antonio Graziano, 21, of 9 Grant St., Milford, also was treated for minor injuries and released into the custody of Mendon police. He will be charged with driving to endanger, assault and battery, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury, speeding, a marked lanes violation, improper passing and going through a red light, Chief Horn said. Mr. Graziano was expected to be arraigned in Milford District Court this morning, Chief Horn said.

Mr. Graziano drove his Jeep Cherokee at extremely high speeds, and reached 100 miles per hour at one point during the six-mile chase, Chief Horn said.

He allegedly ran several other motorists off the road and went speeding through the red light at the busy intersection of Main Street and Route 16, after causing an accident with a police cruiser in front of the police station and Town Hall. Police ran Mr. Graziano off the road and into a stone wall at Chestnut and Mendon Streets in Mendon. It appeared Mr. Graziano had slowed down to make a turn, police said.

Chief Horn released a recording of the radio traffic related to the incident. At 5:20 p.m., Sgt. Massey was stationed in a marked police cruiser at Bates Street and Edwards Road, using a radar gun to check for speeding. He saw a black Jeep Cherokee and clocked it traveling 48 miles per hour in a 25 mile-per-hour zone, and immediately pulled out into the road, activating his lights to stop the vehicle.

The chase began on Bellingham Street, where Mr. Graziano allegedly reached 80 miles per hour.

Sgt. Massey told the dispatcher that the suspect would not pull over. In front of the police station, Mr. Graziano appeared to hit his brakes, which caused two police cruisers to collide, sending one of them into a red pickup truck.

Firefighter Christopher Lowell saw part of the chase from the nearby fire station. He saw the accident involving the police car. The Jeep was weaving around cars on the road before the first accident, and then immediately sped off after the cruiser hit the pickup, he said.

"He wasn't going that fast here. It was congested, because of the time of day, but he took off after the accident," Firefighter Lowell said.

The Jeep went through the Route 16 intersection, and speeded up to about 100 miles per hour as it went north on North Avenue, police said.

Chief Horn was heard on the tape giving an order to "disable" the Jeep, when possible. About two miles from the intersection, Mr. Graziano slowed down, and Sgt. Massey rammed his cruiser into the side of the Jeep, forcing it off the road and into a stone wall at the Chestnut Street intersection. The cruiser also hit a street sign.

Mr. Graziano refused to get out of his car, and police used a baton to smash two of his windows before three officers pulled him out, Chief Horn said.

"He was very combative, and he refused to surrender," Chief Horn said.

Police said that after being pulled from the car Mr. Graziano was contrite.

Chief Horn praised his officers for their effort and professionalism during the chase.

"I'm very pleased with the way the officers handled it," Chief Horn said.

Police were unsure why Mr. Graziano sped off, and it was under investigation last night.


----------



## EOD1 (Mar 11, 2004)

one of the officers involved is my best friend. the sgt is a good friend.


----------



## Pvt. Cowboy (Jan 26, 2005)

I had the occasion to meet Ed Pokornicki once... GREAT GUY! I hope he's okay.


----------

