Grafton Man Drowns Trying to Flee From Police

A Grafton man died on Memorial Day after he dove into Lake Quinsigamond while trying to evade UMass Police, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.

Joseph Martin, 23, of 7 Follette St., Grafton, was pulled from the water off Regatta Point by the Worcester Fire Department dive team. He was declared dead at 7:45 p.m. in the emergency room of the University of Massachusetts-Memorial Hospital.

According to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the cause of death was an apparent drowning.

Martin was parked in his car in a restricted area of the UMass campus, where he had an open container of alcohol and white powder in a plastic bag. When a UMass Police Officer asked him to get out of the car, Martin ran for the lake, according to the DA’s office.

At one point, Martin held up two rocks and threatened to throw them at two officers who were following him. Martin swam into deeper water, ignoring the officers’ warnings.

The State Police Detectives assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office are investigating.