BOSTON, April 5, 2016—A Dorchester man faced arraignment today after a City of Boston employee followed the man as he fled after striking a woman with his car, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

JOSEPH MORRISON (D.O.B. 12/9/87) was arraigned in Dorchester Municipal Court on three counts of leaving the scene of an accident causing personal injury and single counts of leaving the scene of an accident causing property damage, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and an inspection sticker violation.  Assistant District Attorney Brian LeBlanc requested bail in the amount of $10,000.  Judge Thomas Kaplanes imposed $5,500 bail.

According to prosecutors, Morrison was driving a 1999 Nissan Sentra on Ellington Street at approximately 8:30 a.m. today when he allegedly rear ended a 2005 Ford Explorer stopped at Blue Hill Avenue.  When the other driver pulled over, Morrison allegedly reversed his vehicle in an attempt to flee, striking a 2004 Chevrolet Venture in the process.  As he pulled forward again, the driver of the Explorer stepped out of the vehicle in an attempt to stop Morrison from leaving the scene.  Rather than stopping, however, Morrison allegedly struck the woman and knocked her to the ground; while she was on the ground, Morrison’s vehicle drove over her foot, prosecutors said.  The woman provided Boston Police with the driver’s license plate number before being transported to Boston Medical Center for treatment.

An employee in a City of Boston vehicle witnessed Nissan strike the victim and pursued the vehicle until it rear ended a Hummer operating in the area of 297 Washington St.  The witness then helped restrain Morrison at the location, prosecutors said.

Morrison was represented by Tamari Kovach.  He returns to court April 28.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.