WEYMOUTH, MASS. (WHDH) - A 29-year-old Taunton man is facing charges after police said he hit multiple police cruisers with his car during an incident in Weymouth Sunday.
Weymouth police said the incident started near 4:30 p.m. when dispatchers received a report of a person acting erratically at a laundromat in the area of Broad Street and Washington Street.
Officers responded and tried to speak to the person, who continued to act erratically, according to police.
Police identified the man as Djeff Josa. During his arraignment on Monday morning, a prosecutor in Josa’s case said he eventually left the laundromat and walked into a nearby convenience store, ripping a door out of a bystander’s hands as he did so.
The prosecution said Josa soon went back into the parking lot, got into his car and accelerated in reverse, nearly hitting an officer.
The prosecution said Josa rammed one cruiser three times. Josa allegedly pushed the cruiser into another cruiser and also damaged a third police vehicle, according to the prosecution.
The prosecutor in Josa’s case said a police officer was sitting inside the first cruiser Josa hit and was evaluated for “potential serious injuries” after the incident.
Officials said Josa eventually drove his damaged car onto Washington Street where he led officers on a brief chase.
Josa crashed into a wooded area off Route 3 and was taken into custody on charges including disorderly conduct and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, according to police. The prosecution said he repeatedly spat at officers during his arrest.
Surveillance video showed several portions of the incident, with one angle showing a person enter the convenience store near the laundromat.
Another angle showed the driver who police say was Josa ramming police cruisers while officers scrambled around his vehicle with their guns drawn.
“It’s really alarming the way the guy came to the store,” said convenience store owner Rashmi Nagbl on Monday. “…We have all the cameras but you don’t know exactly what to do when customers walk into the store like this.”
“He should be behind bars, I believe,” Nagbl said.
Arianna Belsito, who frequently visits the laundromat where this incident started, said the situation was “very shocking.”
“Everyone who comes here is absolutely a community,” Belsito said. “We all look out for each other.”
Josa had a not guilty plea entered on his behalf during his initial court appearance. He was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Thursday.
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