LAWRENCE, MASS. (WHDH) - Police in Lawrence on Wednesday captured a purse-snatching suspect who they say jumped into the Merrimack River in an attempt to escape arrest.
The suspect is accused of stealing a purse around 2 p.m. at Lawrence General Hospital. Police say he then fled, jumped into the river and hid under a storm drain.
Two officers were forced to wade into waist-deep water as rain poured down in order to force the suspect out.
“It’s a pretty fast flowing area of the river, but he was able to maintain his footing, make eye contact with the suspect and then flush him out,” Chief James Fitzpatrick said of one of the pursuing officers.
The suspect, a 32-year-old Justin White, of Lowell, stole the purse from a patient’s room at the hospital, according to police.
Responding officers, Leo Selvera and Preston Carmichael, found hospital security chasing the man down Canal Street. When the officers joined the pursuit, White jumped into the water.
Wading into waist deep water, these 2 @lawrencepolice officers find a wanted man hiding in a storm drain #7News pic.twitter.com/SOGAVFzDNi
— Kimberly Bookman (@KimberlyBookman) November 22, 2017
“The cops were scrambling around. It looked like they were in a hurry,” said Derek Sampson, who witnessed the chase.
Despite telling White to stay put, police say he swam away before being captured on shore by other officers.
Two police officers were evaluated on the scene but are said to be OK.
White is facing a slew of charges, including resisting arrest.
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