DANVERS — When police Detective Timothy Williamson spotted Thomas Evans driving a Ford pickup on High Street around 11 a.m. yesterday, he knew from a bulletin the department had put out that the man had a revoked license, Sgt. Robert Bettencourt said.
But when Williamson tried to stop Evans, he fled, and for about five to 10 minutes, he led officers on a chase that wound its way along some busy Danvers streets, including Route 128, before it ended up on the dead-end of Congress Avenue off Elliott Street (Route 62), Bettencourt said.
When Evans stopped, he became verbally and physically abusive, according to police. But they managed to arrest Evans, 37, of 6 Northfield Way, Danvers, and charged him with failure to stop for police; speeding; driving to endanger; driving with a revoked license; and marked-lanes, stop-sign and red-light violations
Bettencourt was driving in an unmarked cruiser on High Street when he saw the chase go by.
Bettencourt said it was simply good fortune that Evans didn't crash, as the suspect "was driving with a total disregard for the public."
The chase started after Williamson verified Evans indeed had a revoked license, after the officer saw Evans cut through the Walgreens and Danversbank parking lot to avoid the light at High Street to get to Purchase Street, Bettencourt said. Williamson was in an unmarked cruiser when Evans fled from him.
Williamson called ahead to two officers working a detail on Purchase Street, Patrolmen William Cassidy and John Melto.
Melto attempted to stop Evans, who then backed into a U-turn and took off at a high speed, ran a red light on busy High Street, then ducked left down Florence Street to get onto Route 128 north.
Evans then got off at the Route 62 exit, Elliott Street, and blew through a stop sign and cut off a car, Bettencourt said.
Evans then ran a red light and went left on Liberty Street and headed back toward Route 128 north. But instead of getting back on the highway, he detoured onto Orchard Lane, banged a right onto Foster Street, went left back on Elliott Street and took a left on the dead-end Congress Avenue, toward a neighborhood within sight of the Danversport Yacht Club.
With nowhere to run, Evans gave up and stopped the vehicle.
Patrolman Justin Ellenton, who had joined the pursuit, helped with Evans' arrest, Bettencourt said.
Staff writer Ethan Forman can be reached at 978-338-2673 or eforman@salemnews.com.
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