Tiverton B&E suspect chased, caught in Mass.

Fleeing, allegedly assaults police officer with car

By Tom Killin Dalglish
Posted 8/13/17

TIVERTON — After allegedly breaking into a house on Lake Road in Tiverton, and attempting to run over a Tiverton police officer as he fled, 49-year-old Michael Joseph Cuoto of Mattapoisett was apprehended late Friday by police in Dartmouth, after a lengthy chase.

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Tiverton B&E suspect chased, caught in Mass.

Fleeing, allegedly assaults police officer with car

Posted

TIVERTON — After allegedly breaking into a house on Lake Road in Tiverton, and attempting to run over a Tiverton police officer as he fled, 49-year-old Michael Joseph Cuoto of Mattapoisett was apprehended late Friday by police in Dartmouth, after a lengthy chase. 
The suspect is being held as a fugitive by Dartmouth police under a local warrant for prior felony breaking and entering and larceny. He awaits a return to Tiverton pending extradition that Tiverton is seeking, or its waiver.
Tiverton Police Department Captain Patrick Jones said Mr. Cuoto faces charges in Tiverton that include breaking and entering, assault with a dangerous weapon (a vehicle), eluding a police officer and reckless driving.
Captain Jones said police were called Friday, Aug. 11, at 12:30 p.m. by a resident on Lake Road who had observed the suspect, driving a Mercedes, pull in to the driveway of the resident's home, and walk to the front door, where he rang the doorbell.
The resident, who did not respond to the door bell, observed the suspect go to a window to the side of the front door and remove a window screen.
That was when the suspect apparently noticed he was being observed by the resident inside, and fled in his car. The resident called police with a description of the suspect, the make and model of his car, and license plate number, said Captain Jones. A call went out.
In his cruiser, Tiverton Sergeant Daniel Raymond saw the 2005 Mercedes on Crandall Road, and after a stop, approached the suspect vehicle to open the driver's door. Another Tiverton officer (Josh Pelletier) was arriving in his cruiser at the time.
The suspect accelerated away, knocking Sgt. Raymond to the ground, said Captain Jones.
"I'm okay, get him," Sgt. Raymond told Officer Pelletier, according to Captain Jones.
Sgt. Raymond was taken to Charlton Hospital where he was treated for minor injuries to his arm, placed in a brace, and released. "He's okay," said Captain Jones.
Officer Pelletier "pursued the suspect at high speed up Stafford Road, to Route 24, then to 195 heading east, where he had to terminate the pursuit due to safety reasons," said the Captain. A "be on the lookout (BOLO)" call went out to Westport, Dartmouth, and New Bedford police and the Massachusetts State Patrol.
At approximately 12:45 p.m. a Dartmouth police detail officer, Sergeant Peter Canuel, observed the 2005 Mercedes used in the earlier house break in Tiverton traveling on Hixville Road near the site of utility work being done there.
The operator matched that of the Tiverton suspect, so Sergeant Canuel called the information in, and followed the suspect vehicle in his personal vehicle, until marked Dartmouth cruisers arrived.
Dartmouth Police Department spokesman Detective Kyle J. Costa said that, after the marked police cars engaged the suspect, he attempted to strike one of the Dartmouth cruisers, and once again fled in an effort to elude the police.
A short time later, Dartmouth police located the suspect's vehicle abandoned on the Highland Avenue railroad tracks in Dartmouth.
The chase was then picked up by a Massachusetts State Police helicopter from the air wing unit. Shortly after, Mr. Cuoto was taken into custody, and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon (a motor vehicle), miscellaneous motor vehicle and traffic violations, two felony counts of breaking and entering, and two larcenies, among other offenses, in Massachusetts.

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