BOSTON (WHDH) - One person was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon after a MBTA transport vehicle was stolen in Woburn with a passenger and crashed in Boston, officials said.
MSP said Thomas Baldwin, 34, with a last known address in Lowell, stole the vehicle from a Stop ‘n Shop parking lot in Woburn around 3:30 p.m. after the driver got out but left the keys in the car.
The sole passenger, who has intellectual challenges, was calling 911 while the driver traveled toward Boston, where the vehicle crashed near Faneuil Hall.
The Massachusetts State Police said a patrol located the vehicle in the O’Neill Tunnel just before 3:45 p.m. and attempted to stop the vehicle. The vehicle then crashed into multiple cars in the tunnel and on the exit ramp while fleeing on Route 93 south into Boston.
The trooper lost sight of the vehicle, which was then located at Mercantile Street and Surface Road in Boston just ten minutes later. The driver was then pursued on foot and was arrested in the Bostonian Hotel.
A bystander launched into action and captured an image of the suspect.
“I saw the guy jump out of the passenger window which had been shattered and went sprinting down Clinton Street, so I just chased him right down to this building,” bystander Clinton Crocker said. “I yelled ‘Hey’ to get him to turn around and got a nice shot of his face.”
Some drivers who were stopped at the red light were hit by the incoming vehicle.
“Everything was so fast, so I looked through the middle and he was just flying,” Jose Perez said, whose car was hit.
The passenger who was in the stolen vehicle was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
“I calmed her down. I stuck with her for a few minutes until EMS got there, and they had to use jaws to get the door open,” Clinton said. “I’m happy he’s caught, and the woman is safe now. Harrowing experience for her.”
SKY7-HD was over one scene near Faneuil Hall and the exit off I-93 around 4:30 p.m. where the MBTA Ride van was seen with visible damage.
Witnesses in the area said they heard a loud noise, looked up and saw the van crash into another car. At the hotel, another witness told 7NEWS they saw someone run inside with police chasing close behind.
“He bounced off the tire there, and I moved. I thought it was going to be a lot of damage but it really wasn’t as bad as I thought.” said Connor Bassett, who was also hit. “More shocking than anything.”
The vehicle was towed, and the scene was cleared by 6 p.m.
Officials did not say what charges Baldwin could face.
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