Two police officers were relieved of duty Thursday after they were seen on live TV beating a chase suspect who appeared to be surrendering. The driver stepped from the truck, got onto the ground and was on all fours and lowering himself when the officers moved in.
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A state trooper from MA and another from New Hampshire were relieved of duty on Thursday for their involvement in the beating of a motorist that their commanders called “disturbing”, officials said. Maggie Hassan said that state’s attorney general has opened an investigation.
Simone agreed to be taken back to MA in court on Thursday to face outstanding warrants on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, larceny and failing to stop for police.
The N.H. Attorney General’s Office have started a criminal investigation surrounding the facts and events of the arrest of a suspect in a high-speed chase who appeared to be surrendering.
New Hampshire State Police Director Robert Quinn told reporters one of his troopers was “immediately relieved from duty without pay” for his alleged involvement in the “disturbing” incident. By midday Thursday, the colonel of the Massachusetts State Police announced that a trooper he did not identify was relieved of duty until an internal hearing is conducted on Friday.
Instead, police said, Simone fled, leading them on a high-speed chase that resulted in his arrest.
Simone was scheduled to be arraigned in Nashua on Thursday. “I want the public and law enforcement personnel to know that the division of State Police does not condone the unjustified use of force and it will not be tolerated”.
‘We will conduct a separate departmental review of the actual apprehension, as the video captured by news helicopters shows a use of force against the suspect, ‘ he continued.
MA state police did not have further updates, but is reviewing the pursuit to determine if any policies were broken. The chase ended approximately 50 miles away in Nashua, New Hampshire.
Simone waived extradition and was being held without bail on a fugitive from justice charge. The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports he nearly rammed a police cruiser in a separate chase three days earlier in Millbury, Massachusetts, before driving onto Interstate 290.
At least six other officers, some with weapons drawn, circled Simone, who’d allegedly threatened to ram his truck into a police cruiser in Millbury, Massachusetts, on Sunday, The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported.
After Wednesday’s chase, Simone also faces charges of negligent driving, assault with a unsafe weapon and failure to stop for police along with four other motor vehicle violations, according to the report.
Mass. State Police will also review whether proper police procedure was followed during the police chase.
Not all the troopers appear to hit Simone, but at least three can be seen contributing to the barrage of vigorous punches to his upper and lower body.
Massachusetts State Police said Simone will face new charges related to the chase. We must treat this incident with the utmost seriousness without disparaging all of the hard-working police officers who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe.
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Simone couldn’t be reached for comment while in custody Wednesday night.
