The man who police say was behind the wheel on a wild chase that led them from Easton to Raynham faced a judge Wednesday.
Alexander Cruz, 24, of Taunton, Massachusetts, faces a long list of charges after police say he took off from a routine traffic stop. Police were trying to pull him over for an expired inspection sticker. The chase ended with a chaotic crash on Route 138 in Raynham late Tuesday morning.
According to court documents, Cruz has three outstanding warrants, including one for an assault on a family member in July. He is accused of threatening his 12-year-old sister with a gun and punching her Chihuahua named Sasha.
“He knows what he did was stupid and he’s going to have to pay the price,” Cruz’s defense attorney Dan Rich said.
Court documents also reveal that Cruz’s female passenger who was hospitalized after the crash claims she was hit by a Raynham police cruiser. The Bristol County District Attorney’s office says that does not appear to be true, but they are investigating.
A woman who claimed to be Cruz’s mother had an emotional outburst as he faced the judge, and she had to be escorted out by court officers during his arraignment.
Cruz was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Monday, Dec. 4.
