Melrose Police K-9 Tracks Man Who Allegedly Struck Detective After Being Pulled Over

After a man pulled over by a detective allegedly hit the detective and sped away in his car, he came to a stop on a home's lawn and discovered by the Melrose Police K-9 unit hiding in the bushes at a Conrad Road home, according to Melrose Police Lt. Mark DeCroteau.

At approximately 2:22 p.m., a Melrose Police detective was leaving the scene of the and pulled out of the parking lot when he observed a "motor vehicle violation" and pulled over a car driven by Gabriel Valentine, 26, of 7 Grandfield Ave. in Roslindale, DeCroteau said.

Valentine got out of his car after being pulled over, DeCroteau said, and was talking with the Melrose Police detective when he "suddenly struck the detective, knocking the radio from his hand ... got back in the vehicle and fled."

The detective tracked him to the Heywood Avenue area, DeCroteau said, where Valentine's car eventually came to stop on a home's front lawn. DeCroteau added that the car was not crashed, but more likely, dead ends in the area combined with speeding led to the car ending up on the lawn. Valentine then ran away from the car.

Melrose Police had already been alerted by the detective and responded to the area, setting up a perimeter based on descriptions from area residents who said they saw someone running through yards in the area around Hesseltine Avenue and the Horace Mann School.

The department's K-9 unit also responded and Melrose Police dog "Jony" tracked from Valentine's car in a southeast direction toward Howard Street, DeCroteau said.

Combined with more reports from residents, police and the K-9 unit eventually tracked to a home at 31 Conrad Road, where DeCroteau said Valentine was found behind bushes.

Valentine was placed under arrest on charges of assault and battery on a police officer, failure to stop and malicious destruction of property over $250 (due to damage to the lawn where his car came to a stop).

"At this time, the matter is still under investigation as to why this person became evasive and fled," DeCroteau said.