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The events began at approximately 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 13, in Bristol County when officers in New Bedford attempted to stop a white Toyota Tacoma that was being driven by Ian Grant, a resident of Dartmouth in Bristol County, who was wanted on an outstanding felony warrant.
A Massachusetts State Police spokesperson said that as officers attempted to stop Grant, he proceeded to speed away, onto Route 195, heading west.
While fleeing, a spokesperson said that state police investigators in the area were alerted to the chase, and shortly before 11:20 a.m. on Wednesday morning, in an effort to avoid arrest, Grant drove into the median of Route 195 in Westport, west of Route 88, directly at troopers, prompting several of them to fire their service weapons at him, though he was undeterred.
According to police, troopers did not pursue Grant’s Toyota after he crossed into the opposite lanes and began driving in the wrong direction.
A BOLO alert was issued by Massachusetts State Police Troop T, while K9 and aerial units responded to the scene to assist in the search for Grant or his vehicle.
Officials said that shortly thereafter, police in Rhode Island located the Tacoma in Jamestown on Route 1, leading to a fresh chase that took them into Westerly in Rhode Island, before crossing over the state line onto Route 78 in Connecticut.
A state police spokesperson said that cruisers were able to eventually stop Grant’s truck on Route 2 in North Stonington (in New London County, Connecticut), north of Frontage Road after he lost control and crashed into a nearby wooded area.
According to investigators, law enforcement agencies from Rhode Island and Connecticut were able to surround Grant at approximately 2 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon to begin negotiating until he could be taken into custody by a tactical team.
The tactical team reportedly used pepper spray and tear gas to usher Grant out of his vehicle during the stand-off. Guns were also seized from Grant's Toyota following his apprehension.
Officials noted that Grant was wanted for assault and intimidation of a witness, and his Prospect Street home in Dartmouth was the site of an earlier fire that remains under investigation.
Massachusetts State Police said that the troopers who were present during the weapons discharge were evaluated for stress at an area hospital and have been released.
Charges against Grant are still pending in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
This is a developing story. Check Daily Voice for updates.
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