Boston Man Faces Charges After Weymouth K9 Chase

WEYMOUTH, MA — A Boston man who was stopped for not wearing his seatbelt led a K9 unit on a chase through wetlands, police said.

Michael Rudder, 23, was arrested Monday night and charged with failure to stop for police, reckless operating of a motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, speeding, leaving the scene property damage, number plate violation to conceal ID, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, possession of Class C substance, possession of ammunition without an FID, and a lights violation.

At about 10 p.m., Sgt. Kevin Malloy working a “Click it or Ticket” traffic enforcement grant, when he observed a traffic violation on Main Street. As the officer initiated a motor vehicle stop of the vehicle being driven by Rudder, the vehicle fled at a high rate of speed, police said. Rudder allegedly turned off all the lights on his vehicle in an attempt to evade the officer and continued to travel at a high rate of speed down Main Street before turning onto Columbian Street, traveling through a stop sign. The vehicle continued on Columbian Street and lost control striking a guardrail. The vehicle, which sustained heavy damage, continued onto Forrest Street before coming to a stop on Tommy Marks Way.

Rudder allegedly exited the vehicle and began to run into a thick wooded area. As Rudder ran he began dropping items out of his backpack, to include his wallet which contained his license. Officers set a perimeter up awaiting the arrival of officer Ken Murphy and his partner K-9 Zekk.

Officers observed Rudder exit the woods and when approached he fled again on foot behind the VCA located on Columbian Street. Murphy and Zekk tracked Rudder through difficult terrain, swamps and wetlands up to their waste as well as thick brush, however, Zekk was able to locate and make contact with Rudder who was taken into custody. After a search of Rudder and the motor vehicle, officers located ammunition as well as Diazepam, a class C substance.

Rudder was transported to South Shore Hospital for treatment of a dog bite.

K-9 Zekk sustained superficial cuts from tracking through the difficult terrain.

Information in this article was provided by the Weymouth Police Department. Arrests and charges mentioned don't imply conviction.

Image via Weymouth Police Department