NORTH ATTLEBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - A man arrested in North Attleboro for allegedly running from a drug investigation at a Mansfield hotel was ordered held without bail Friday pending a dangerousness hearing.
Police said Kevin Burke is a drug dealer who has injured officers as they’ve attempted to arrest him on warrants on two different occasions, including on Thursday.
Officers were finally able to arrest Burke in the backyard of a home on Cottage Street in North Attleboro. He now faces 30 criminal charges in six different cases.
Neighbors were stunned as police searched the area with dogs.
“A real surprise. I couldn’t believe it,” said Frank Hewitt, who lives near where Burke was arrested.
“It’s a little nervewracking. I have three young children and I just want to keep them safe,” said neighbor Arianna Servant.
Police said they found out Burke had been living at the Red Roof Inn hotel in Mansfield and dealing drugs there. Four North Attleboro officers approached burke in his black BMW and smashed his driver’s side window when he refused to put it down and speak to them.
A prosecutor said a lieutenant reached in to attempt to turn the car’s engine off, when Burke allegedly accelerated.
“An officer is pinned inside that vehicle — half his body in the vehicle, half his body out as Mr. Burke accelerates at a a high rate of speed and drives toward the exit,” said prosecutor Pat Driscoll.
Prosecutors said Burke also gunned his car in reverse at one point. Later, the lieutenant was finally thrown from the BMW, prosecutors said, and suffered abrasions and a serious ankle injury.
An officer fired a single shot at Burke. Police said he suffered a minor wound to his right bicep and a small amount of blood was found in his BMW. Police found it parked at a martial arts business in North Attleboro.
“My client is an addict and he is going through the withdrawal right now, so I need to go investigate more,” said defense attorney Amit Singh.
Police said they searched Burke at the hospital, where he was treated for the minor gunshot wound to his arm, and found bags filled with white powder, which they believe to be crack cocaine, stuffed down his boxer shorts.
“My husband grew up around this area and I don’t think anything like this has happened,” Servant said.
Burke was ordered held without bail for a week pending a dangerousness hearing held next Friday. He is also wanted in Rhode Island for burglary.
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