A Massachusetts man suspected of operating under the influence while leading police on a brief pursuit, then driving head-on into a police cruiser three times, faced a judge on Thursday.
Michael O'Brien was arraigned in Wareham District Court on charges of attempted murder, assault and battery with a motor vehicle, OUI, possession of ammunition without a license to carry, negligent operation and failure to stop.
O'Brien was arrested Wednesday after police said they received a call just after 9:30 p.m. of a disturbance at a home on Wareham Street. There, a man, later identified as 42-year-old O'Brien, fled the scene in a vehicle.
"The defendant before you, who was punching his father, and Michael was in the house attempting to steal firearms," a prosecutor said in court.
Officers pursued O'Brien for about a mile before pulling into a parking lot. As cruisers approached the vehicle, O'Brien drove head-on into a cruiser three times in an attempt to harm the officer inside, police said.
"As they got closer, they could see the pickup truck had struck Officer Savage's cruiser head-on," the prosecutor said.
O'Brien then exited his truck, at which point officers were able to arrest him, police said. He was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
Massachusetts
The latest news from around the state
An officer in the cruiser that was hit suffered minor injuries to his arm and was taken to a different hospital, according to police.
Prosecutors said O'Brien later told police he wanted to kill himself and when police told him he could've killed the officer, he replied, "Oh well."
"They did a thorough search of Mr. O'Brien and found in his left breast pocket three nine millimeter bullets, 500 Smith & Wesson magnum rounds," the prosecutor said.
O'Brien was ordered held without bail. It's unclear when he's due back in court.
