Authorities say a man who fled a pickup truck following a police chase in Haverhill, Massachusetts, Wednesday morning is in custody.
The suspect has been identified as 27-year-old Boston resident Elias Sudler. He was charged with possession of a firearm without an FID, possession of ammunition without an FID, resisting arrest, possession of firearm in a felony, carrying a loaded firearm, arrestee furnishing false name/Social security number, assault & battery on police officer, and conspiracy to commit crime.
State police said Sudler, who has an extensive criminal history, was "flushed out" of a wooded area in the vicinity of Carleton Street in Haverhill by a police air wing and a K9 crew. He was taken into custody and then to an area hospital for treatment before being taken to the state police barracks in Newbury to be booked.
The search was frightening for area residents.
"It was scary. It was very scary," said Haverhill resident Janice Carmichael. "Several police cars and unmarked cars come running in here."
"First I saw probably about 3 or 4 helicopters circling up above," added Haverhill resident Chris Del Gaizo.
Authorities said in addition to Wednesday's charges, Sudler was the subject of a July 10 indictment out of Suffolk County charging him with stalking, sexual assault, and witness intimidation in connection to a romantic partner. Police said since then, Sudler had been the target of an arrest warrant.
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Massachusetts Probation Service said Sudler was placed on probation back in 2016 for kidnapping and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon charges out of New Bedford District Court. In January, officials say, he was sentenced to probation in Boston for resisting arrest. While that Boston term was scheduled to end in March of 2019, a warrant was issued for violating probation in New Bedford when he allegedly failed to appear in court this April.
Police said Wednesday's pursuit of Sudler began when a trooper tried to stop a 1996 Chevrolet S pickup truck in which Sudler was a passenger for an inspection sticker violation. The driver, Ishap Abdul-Shafi, 35, of Quincy, didn't stop, which launched a police chase, according to authorities.
The pickup truck eventually stopped at a CVS on Route 97 near Interstate 495 in Haverhill, and Abdul-Shafi was taken into custody. He faces charges of failure to stop for police, negligent operation, conspiracy to commit a crime, and no inspection sticker.
When the vehicle stopped, state police say Sudler tried to grab a backpack that was in the car before running away without it, and that troopers found a firearm when they looked inside of it.
It's unclear if Sudler was armed during the pursuit.
Haverhill Public Schools announced on social media that dismissal for students at Haverhill High School will be held until the nearby situation is "100% contained," but added that students may be picked up by parents.
Sudler will be arraigned in Haverhill District Court.
