Car chase ends 
with car in flames

Source: Eagle Tribune
Date: September 27, 1998

ANDOVER -- Police making routine traffic stops on Route 28 ended up chasing a Lawrence man for several miles until his car caught fire on I-93 last night.

At about 10:45 Officer Colin Radford was conducting stops on Route 28 as part of a new program to slow down drivers when Edwin Rodriquez, 18, of 234 Haverhill Road, Lawrence, sped by.

Mr. Rodriquez would not pull over and went onto I-495 north. He turned onto Route 114 south, and then turned back into Andover on Elm Street, said Sgt. James Hashem.

The chase, which did not exceed 55 mph, went onto side roads, where Mr. Rodriquez forced other cruisers off the road. None of the cruisers was damaged, and no officers were hurt, said Sgt. Hashem.

The chase finally emerged onto Dascomb Road, when the engine in the Toyota MR2 that Mr. Rodriquez was driving blew and started to spout flames. Mr. Rodriquez turned onto I-93 north and quickly pulled over when the inside of the car filled with smoke.

Police extinguished the blaze. The car, which was owned by a friend, was totalled.

Mr. Rodriquez was arrested for failure to stop for a police officer, operating to endanger, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (the car, filed for forcing officers off the road), and numerous traffic violations, said Sgt. Hashem.

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