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3-16-2022 10:28pm
Police Log: Vehicle Strikes Pedestrian, Harassment at Middle School, Missing Girl Found
Darlene Cancell
Editor
Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay
The news described in Westwood Minute's Police Log article is primarily based on selected information from the Westwood Police Department's daily log and information provided by Lieutenant Christopher Sheehy and police staff. Occasionally, a few facts from other sources may be woven into these stories.
Monday, March 7, 2022
Illegal transfer of license plate
2:00 a.m. A police officer conducting a check of Budget Inn on Providence Highway ran a query on the license plate of an older, gray, Buick sedan that was in the parking lot. The officer recognized the vehicle from a previous stop he had made of a young lady from Roslindale. The officer discovered that the vehicle’s registration had been cancelled due to lack of insurance, and that the plate was associated with a different car – a 2017 Toyota Corolla.
Because of the illegal transfer of the license plate, the officer seized the plate. As the driver was not present, the officer explained to an associated male party that he would return the license plate upon proof of registration.
Rear-ended at the Rotary
7:42 a.m. A woman from Brockton driving a 2017 Honda was waiting to enter the East Street rotary when her vehicle was rear-ended by a 2014 Ford driven by a man from Norwood. The woman complained of neck pain and requested paramedics. Westwood Fire Paramedics arrived and transported her to Beth Israel Deaconess in Needham. The man was able to drive his vehicle away.
Tuesday, March 8, 2022
Playing in pond prohibited
10:39 a.m. Police received a copy of a no-trespass letter that had been sent by an attorney on behalf of a resident of Summer Street to an abutting neighbor. The letter was an attempt to put the neighbors of the complaining party on notice that they are not welcome on the complainant’s property. In the letter, the abutters were told not to enter a pond on the complainant’s property.
Just taking out the trash
12:28 p.m. Police received a report of possible illegal dumping into a trash receptacle in the business block where Chiara Bistro is located. A passerby provided the license plate of a vehicle that was driven by a person suspected of illegal dumping. Upon investigation, police discovered the driver was an employee of a business at the location who was disposing of items from the business.
Someone has to yield
3:55 p.m. Two vehicles collided at the intersection of Nahatan and Clapboardtree streets when they proceeded to travel through the intersection at the same time. A 2020 Toyota driven by a Westwood woman turned right from Nahatan Street onto Clapboardtree Street. At the same time, a 2015 Volkswagen driven by a Hopkinton man continued straight and through the intersection on Clapboardtree.
The collision resulted in the Toyota running off the road from Clapboardtree Street. It sustained major damage. The Volkswagen sustained minor damage. Out of an abundance of caution, a one-year old passenger of the Toyota was transported by ambulance to Newton Wellesley Hospital to be examined. Both vehicles were towed.
Thursday, March 10, 2022
Students and staff harassed at middle school
12:48 p.m. Police received a report of suspicious activity at Thurston Middle School. A number of students and staff were receiving AirDrop anonymous messages on their cell phones that have been described as “racist” and “hateful.”
Westwood Police’s school resource officer has begun an investigation, which includes determining whether there may be additional messages than what was initially reported. To read the earlier post about this incident, see Middle School Students, Staff Receive Racist and Hateful AirDrop Messages at School.
Pedestrian seriously injured crossing Washington Street
4:00 p.m. Police responded to multiple calls reporting a vehicle striking a pedestrian in the northbound lane of Washington Street between the Westwood Fire Station and Roche Bros. The victim was a 23 year-old from West Roxbury, reportedly an employee of one of the local businesses along Washington Street. He was struck by a 2002 Kia that was driven by woman from Westwood. There is no crosswalk at the area of Washington Street where he was struck.
Westwood Fire Paramedics transported the victim to the nearby Hanlon School playing field where a med flight flew him to Tufts Medical Center in Boston. Due to the severity of his injuries, Massachusetts State Police and the Norfolk District Attorney also responded. Multiple witnesses were interviewed at the scene.
Mr. David Traub, spokesperson for the Office of Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey, reported that the victim had lost consciousness but regained consciousness during the med flight. By 8:30 p.m., the patient was in stable condition.
Mr. Traub noted that the evidence currently indicates that the pedestrian was crossing from the Roche Bros. side of the street to the opposite side of the street. The matter continues to be investigated. No citations or charges have been issued at this time.
To read an earlier post about this incident, see Twitterverse and the Social Beat - News this Week.
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Friday, March 11, 2022
Missing Holliston girl found in Milford
11:20 a.m. A Westwood Police detective responded to a request from Holliston Police for assistance in investigating the disappearance of 11 year-old Josephine “Josie” Thompson. She was reported missing at approximately 9:00 a.m. Thirty minutes after the call for assistance, the child was found safe in Milford. She appears to have walked the distance between the two towns. Police do not suspect any foul play.
She was located “[t]hrough a variety of investigative techniques including interviews, video surveillance, police K-9’s, drones and the public’s assistance,” according to a press release issued by Holliston Police, who thanked participating Metro-LEC agencies for the assistance.
Holliston Police recently joined the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council (Metro-LEC), an organization to which Westwood Police also belong. The Metro-LEC consortium brings together the resources of law enforcement members to enable a regional response to serious incidents.
Another case of switched plates
4:54 p.m. An officer conducting stationary traffic enforcement in the area of Strafford Road discovered that a license plate on a passing, black, Nissan Altima was associated with a Chevy Impala. The officer made the traffic stop and determined that the driver of the Altima had a suspended driver’s license. The driver was issued a criminal citation for attaching plates and for operating a motor vehicle after license suspension.
Saturday, March 12, 2022
Suspicious man with child
11:44 a.m. A caller who was walking a dog called police to report suspicious activity in the area of Washington and Hooper streets. The caller observed a tall, white man in red pants walking with a child. The child was wearing a black hoodie with a skull on it. The police log indicates that the man was reported to be acting “suspiciously.” No further description of suspicious behavior was provided. The caller questioned the connection between the two. Police responded to the area. They were unable to locate anyone matching the description.
Thanks to Lieutenant Christopher Sheehy, the Westwood Police Department, and the Office of Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey for contributing information for this article.
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