A man is facing nearly 10 charges after allegedly fleeing from Massachusetts state troopers along Interstate 495 early Thursday morning and hitting one of them with his car.
Troopers stopped Eric Duffy along I-495 in Lowell after getting reports of the Honda Accord he was in driving erratically down the interstate in Methuen, Massachusetts State Police said in a news release.
The 34-year-old Barre driver allegedly sped off after a few minutes, and troopers followed him to the Boston Road exit in Westford, where he got off the highway and pulled into Haffner's gas station. Police say Duffy got out of the car, then got back in, and a trooper tried to tase him, but it didn't work.
That's when Duffy allegedly backed into a police cruiser, and then drove forward, hitting a trooper who rolled onto and then off the car's hood. Troopers say they were eventually able to box Duffy in, after he sped away again on I-495. He rear ended the cruiser that pulled in front of him during the maneuver, and after fighting with troopers, was taken into custody, the release said.
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Duffy was taken to a nearby hospital, as well as two other troopers. Duffy faces the following charges.
- Assault and battery with a dangerous weapon
- Assault and battery on a police officer
- Negligent operation of a motor vehicle
- Leaving the scene of a crash that caused personal injury
- Leaving the scene of a crash that caused property damage
- Resisting arrest
- Failure to stop for police
- Speeding
- Marked lanes violation
Duffy is still in the hospital, and details have not been set for his arraignment.
