Alleged Drunk Driver Leads Burlington Police On 90 MPH Chase

BURLINGTON, MA -- Police have yet to release the identity of driver who refused to stop for Burlington Police early Monday morning. Police said they found conflicting identification after the 24-year-old Ugandan man was taken to Lahey Medical Center with serious injuries, according to a new release.

Police say an officer saw the man operating a Nissan sport utility vehicle erratically on Middlesex Turnpike at 2:05 am. The vehicle was driving slowly, then suddenly accelerating, and swerving, leading the officer to believe the operator was impaired. The officer followed the vehicle onto I-95 North and tried to make a traffic stop, at which point the driver allegedly refused to stop.

The driver exited the highway at Exit 34 onto Winn Street and then made a sudden U-turn, nearly striking the pursuing police cruiser. The vehicle went the wrong on the off ramp onto the highway then proceeded to travel on the highway in the wrong direction before jumping the median back onto the northbound side of the highway.

The driver tried to exit the highway at Exit 35 but lost control of the vehicle, rolling it over and crashing near the Route 38 rotary. The driver was ejected from the vehicle. Police believe alcohol was a "significant factor" and found several miniature alcohol bottles at the crash scene.

Police said the entire chase lasted approximately two minutes and reached speeds of 90 MPH. The incident remains under investigation.

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Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).