BOSTON, June 3, 2015—A Framingham man accused of striking a state trooper with his car door and leading police on a high speed chase over the weekend faced arraignment today, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.
EDWARD HUGILL (D.O.B. 3/10/91) was arraigned in Brighton Municipal Court on charges of assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, failure to stop for police, operating with a suspended license, speeding, speeding to endanger, and a marked lanes violation. Assistant District Attorney Kaushal Rana requested $20,000 bail and moved to revoke Hugill’s open bail on a 2015 case out of Framingham District Court charging distribution of a Class D substance as a subsequent offense and a 2011 case out of the same court charging possession with intent to distribute a Class D substance, possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance, unlawful possession of a stun gun, and a school zone violation.
Judge Debra Shopteese set bail at $8,000 and ordered Hugill to wear a GPS monitor and undergo random drug and alcohol testing. She declined to revoke Hugill’s open bail.
At the time of his arrest, prosecutors told the court, Hugill was on probation for a March conviction out of Framingham District Court for distribution of a Class D substance, possession with intent to distribute a Class D substance, possession of a Class B substance, possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance, theft of a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and improper storage of a firearm.
A trooper stopped a driver later identified as Hugill at approximately 12:25 a.m. Saturday after clocking his 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer going 60 miles per hour in a 30 mph zone approaching the tolls on the Route 90 in Allston. After stopping for police, Hugill allowed his vehicle to roll into the cruiser’s push bumper.
After obtaining Hugill’s driver’s license and vehicle registration, the trooper determined that Hugill’s license had been suspended, resulting in a call for the vehicle to be towed from the location. The trooper repeatedly ordered Hugill to turn off his vehicle. Hugill instead opened the driver’s side door and quickly drove in reverse, causing the open door to strike the trooper and knock him to the ground. Hugill drove in reverse another 100 feet until the vehicle stalled, then restarted the engine and accelerated forward. He then sped through the tolls and crossed over four lanes of eastbound traffic to turn into a westbound lane.
Hugill allegedly led police on a chase of speeds up to 100 miles per hour, maintaining speeds of upwards of 90 miles per hour for a distance of more than three miles, prosecutors said. As he did so, he turned off the vehicles headlights and veered across all travel lanes without signaling, causing other drivers to brake and swerve abruptly to avoid a collision.
“We’re extremely fortunate that no one was seriously injured or worse,” Conley said. “The evidence suggests life-threatening conditions caused by this defendant’s choices and actions.”
Hugill exited at the interchange 17 off ramp toward Newton, driving over the curb and striking another vehicle on its passenger side as he did so. He then struck a second vehicle as he went through a red light and proceeded to drive the wrong way over the Washington Street bridge, prosecutors said.
Troopers drove to a nearby rotary and entered the roadway operating in the right direction, but Hugill’s vehicle could not be located in the area. A search conducted by State, Newton, and Watertown police was unsuccessful; however, State Police were still in possession of Hugil’s invalid driver’s license and vehicle registration.
After further investigation and interviews, State Police obtained a warrant for Hugill’s arrest yesterday and took him into custody at his Framingham home.
Hugill was represented by Michael Brennan. He returns to court July 23.
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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
