An off-duty Boston Police Department officer appears to have had a doozy of a ride home from the North End this morning.
According to a police report obtained by DigBoston of events that began at 2:45am, two responding officers answered a radio call “that a taxi driver had been beaten by a passenger at E 1st @ Farragut Rd.” in South Boston.
It all started when the driver “picked up a white male … who was with [another] unknown white male at 200 Hanover St.” in the North End.
He then “drove the unknown white male to Charlestown and was then asked to take [the second white male] to E 2nd in South Boston.”
But when they arrived at that address, the “suspect stated they were in the wrong location.”
The “suspect then stated ‘[You] think I’m stupid you fucking spic’ and told the victim to continue driving.”
With the car stopped at E 2nd and M Street, the report says “the suspect began hitting the victim.” The Uber driver said he then removed his seatbelt and exited the vehicle, only for the suspect to begin “chasing the victim around the motor vehicle.”
With the victim “attempting to stop passing traffic to assist him,” an “unknown black male” lent a hand. “When the victim went toward the male that stopped to assist him, the suspect entered the [victim’s]” car and drove off.
The victim then entered the vehicle of the assisting black male “and they followed the suspect,” who was driving the Uber toward Farragut Road, “where the suspect stopped.”
Once outside the stolen taxi, the suspect “approached both the victim and the male assisting and stated to the black male ‘[What] do you want you fucking nigger’ and began swinging at both parties.”
In the process the “suspect knocked the victim to the ground and began hitting him and the assisting male attempted to pull him off. They all struggled until the suspect observed blue police lights coming in their direction.”
The suspect then “stopped fighting and began to walk away.” At which point two MassPort police officers “arrived on the scene and the suspect walked away.” The Uber driver pointed at the suspect, but according to the police report he made an “escape” up P Street.
The driver refused medical attention, while “officers drove the area searching for the suspect to no avail.”
We may be able to help. City records show the BPD employs an officer with the same name as the suspect in the report, and who lives in Southie right around the corner from the location where the Uber driver first tried dropping him.
The Dig contacted the BPD regarding this incident, and a public relations representative declined to comment on the matter, or to confirm or deny inquiries about the identity of the suspect as an officer. He noted they are working on a statement, and said to check bpdnews for updates.
UPDATE: The Boston Police Department has released a statement. It omits quite a few details from the report, but here it is anyway …
Boston Police Officer Placed on Administrative Leave after Being Charged with Assault & Battery: At about 2:45am, on Sunday, January 4, 2015, officers from District C-6 (South Boston) responded to a call for a ride share driver stating that he had been assaulted by a passenger in the area of E. 1st Street and Farragut Road in South Boston. On arrival, officers spoke to the victim, an Uber driver, who stated that he was in the process of dropping a passenger off in the area of E. 2nd Street in South Boston when the passenger began yelling at him and accusing him of trying to drop him off at the wrong location. Victim further states that the suspect physically assaulted him when he stopped his vehicle in the area of E. 2nd and M Streets. In an effort to escape the suspect, the victim states that he exited his vehicle. Once outside the vehicle, the victim states that he watched as the suspect got into the front seat of his car and drove off. The victim, who was aided by a passing motorist, followed the victim to E. 1st Street and Farragut Road where the suspect stopped and exited the victim’s car. The suspect fled the area before police arrived. The suspect was later identified, located and placed under arrest.
Officers arrested Michael Doherty, 40, of South Boston and charged him with Assault & Battery and Using a Motor Vehicle without Authority.
Doherty, a 16 year-veteran of the Boston Police Department, has been placed on Administrative Leave pending the outcome of the charges filed against him.
The Boston Police Anti-Corruption Unit is actively reviewing facts and circumstance surrounding this incident.
Dig Staff means this article was a collaborative effort. Teamwork, as we like to call it.
