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TAUNTON, Mass. (WBZNewsRadio) - The man charged with attacking several Taunton police officers Tuesday evening with a knife was arraigned Wednesday at Taunton District Court and ordered to get a mental health evaluation. 35-year-old Douglas Hagerty of Lakeville is facing multiple charges including armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, failure to stop for police, and resisting arrest, among others.
One of the officers was stabbed in the face and flown to a Boston hospital for treatment. Five officers in all were injured in the attack including the police chief.
Around 6:45 p.m. Taunton Police had pulled over a car for a moving violation along County Street. While officers were speaking with the driver of the car, another vehicle pulled up and the driver, later identified as Hagerty, began shouting at officers. The car took off a short time later and police did not follow.
Officers spotted the same car a short time later and said they noticed it was operating in an unsafe and reckless manner. Officers tried to pull the car over, but instead of stopping, the driver took off and nearly crashed into a responding officer. Police took off after the suspect, who crashed a short time later into the entryway of a home on West Britannia Street. The suspect then got out of the vehicle and went into the residence, later determined to be the suspect's home.
"As officers followed the suspect inside, the suspect allegedly pulled out a knife and began waving it at the officers, resulting in slashing wounds to two officers." Taunton Police said in a release. "Chief Walsh, who lives nearby, responded to the scene from his home. The suspect also allegedly swung his knife at Chief Walsh, resulting in a puncture wound to the Chief's torso."
Chief Walsh used his taser on Hagerty, who was then taken into custody by responding officers.
During the ordeal, one officer was stabbed multiple times and was flown by medical helicopter to a hospital in Boston. Another officer was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital for stab wounds. Two other officers were treated at Morton Hospital, along with Chief Walsh who was treated and released Tuesday evening.
WBZ's Drew Moholland (@DrewWBZ) reports
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