BOSTON, March 4, 2013—A Lynn man with a history of violent and firearm-related charges was ordered held on high bail at his arraignment today on firearm and other charges, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said today.

EUGENE DAVIS (D.O.B. 1/10/71) of Lynn was arraigned in Chelsea District Court today on charges of illegal firearm possession, illegal firearm possession as a third or subsequent offense, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, leaving the scene of an accident causing personal injury, and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. 

He was additionally charged as a Level 3 armed career criminal as a result of a 1993 conviction for assault with intent to kill and a separate conviction that year for manufacturing a Class B controlled substance.  He was previously convicted of illegal firearm possession in federal court in Boston in 2000 and in Norfolk County in 1994.

Davis was cited for a license plate violation, failure to stop, a marked lane violation, and speeding.

Assistant District Attorney Christopher Henry requested Davis be held on $400,000 bail. Judge Paul Yee set bail at $100,000.

According to prosecutors, Davis was pulled over by State Police on Route 16 East in Revere around 5:00 p.m. Saturday for driving a 2007 Nissan Altima with a bracket partially blocking the vehicle’s license plate.  As the trooper approached, Davis leaned forward and out of view, prosecutors said.

Davis appeared nervous during the traffic stop, and his hand shook as he produced his license, registration, and insurance information, prosecutors said.  The car was registered to a South Carolina woman.

After multiple requests to step out of the vehicle, Davis finally did so and was shown the obstructed license plate on the vehicle, prosecutors said.  He then returned to the car, where he watched the trooper and again leaned forward and out of view, according to prosecutors.

Upon the arrival of a second trooper, Davis was asked to step out of the car again.  He refused several times and grabbed one trooper’s hand as he reached in the car’s window to unlock the door before putting the car in drive and taking off as police tried to remove him from the vehicle, prosecutors said.

In a chase that lasted less than half a mile, Davis allegedly drove the vehicle on the grass median to avoid stopped cars at the intersection of Route 1A and Shirley Avenue before skidding out of control and hitting two vehicles.  Despite having four flat tires from the collisions, prosecutors said, Davis continued to drive another 200 feet before he spun out and came to a stop, at which time he was removed from the car and arrested.

A civilian spotted a handgun on the ground on Davis’ path of flight and informed police.  Prosecutors said the .45 Bersa semiautomatic handgun had the hammer pulled back and a round in the chamber and appeared to have damage consistent with being thrown from a moving vehicle.

Davis was represented by David Grimaldi.  He will return to court on April 1.

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