Driver rams cemetery fence and tears down road sign while fleeing from police in Chelmsford

CHELMSFORD – A Pepperell man who fled from police despite having a suspended license and no insurance became involved in a wild chase that included crashing into a fence surrounding St. Joseph's Cemetery and knocking over a traffic sign.

According to Chelmsford police, numerous criminal charges are now pending against the suspected driver, 31-year-old John Boualaphanh.

The incident began shortly before 6:30 p.m. on Friday when a police officer spotted a 2011 Honda Accord on Riverneck Road with license plates belonging to a 2006 Toyota Sienna.

According to police, the officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver refused to comply.

The vehicle passed a second patrol car driven by a sergeant. Both officers then attempted to catch up to the vehicle. As they got closer, officers saw that the vehicle had “spun wildly” and struck a metal fence at St. Joseph Cemetery. Despite this, the driver did not give up.

According to police, the driver eventually reached the Interstate 495 ramp at Chelmsford Street. From there, he made a U-turn back onto the road, passed several vehicles, ran a stop sign at Fletcher Street, and turned onto the I-495 South ramp at North Road. The driver then crossed the grassy median, knocking down a “Wrong Way” sign, damaging the front end and bumper of the vehicle.

At this point, the sergeant supervising the situation decided to discontinue the pursuit, consistent with department policy to avoid the dangers of high-speed pursuits.

Police said they matched the Honda's license plate to a Pepperell resident. Chelmsford police contacted Pepperell police, and a Pepperell detective stated they believed police knew the suspect motorist, identified by police as Boualaphanh. He was subsequently arrested without incident.

Boualaphanh is charged with failing to stop for the police, driving a motor vehicle without a license (repeat offense), driving a motor vehicle without registration and driving a motor vehicle without insurance, two counts of hit and run after an accident involving property damage, reckless driving of a motor vehicle and violation of registration plate display regulations.

Boualaphanh was arrested at the Pepperell Police Department. He was held pending a bail hearing and will likely be arraigned in Lowell District Court on Monday.

Follow Aaron Curtis on X, formerly known as Twitter, @aselahcurtis

Originally published: August 18, 2024 at 21:02