DANVERS, MASS. (WHDH) - A 37-year-old man attempted to escape police by driving a pickup truck through a fence in Middleton and heading west before he was arrested in Danvers Tuesday, officials said.
Joseph Kennedy, of Malden, smashed the red pickup truck through a fence and over a wall at Minit Car Wash in Middleton while being chased by police at around 4:30 p.m. Kennedy fled into Danvers, where police continued following him, according to Massachusetts State Police.
The pickup truck came to a stop on Cemetery Road in Danvers, where Kennedy was taken into police custody and brought to a nearby hospital.
Kennedy was charged with operating under the influence of drugs, failure to stop for police, and negligent operation of a motor vehicle, police said.
In an update Wednesday afternoon, state police said Kennedy was also charged with speeding, a marked lanes violation and a motor vehicle equipment violation.
State police said the incident started in Middleton when police saw Kennedy’s truck driving erratically and tried to pull him over. Peabody police found Kennedy’s truck and gave chase, eventually crossing into Danvers.
State police said Kennedy allegedly traveled back into Middleton and crashed through the fence near Minit Car Wash before heading back toward Danvers.
Police said Kennedy got out of his car and fled on foot into a wooded area after stopping in Danvers. A K9 soon helped officers subdue him.
Citing a subsequent investigation, police said a trooper determined Kennedy had recently taken methamphetamine.
After being evaluated at Beverly Hospital, police said Kennedy was booked at the State Police barracks in Danvers and ordered held without bail ahead of his arraignment.
Kennedy was expected to be arraigned at some point Wednesday.
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