LOWELL, MASS. (WHDH) – A Billerica man is facing a raft of criminal charges after police say he carjacked a vehicle in Lowell and then struck and critically injured a pedestrian before fleeing the scene.
Christopher Campbell, 30, is expected to be arraigned on charges including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, two counts of leaving the scene of a crash with personal injury, carjacking, larceny of a motor vehicle, and negligent operation of a motor vehicle, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, Lowell Police Superintendent Greg Hudon and Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble.
Officers responding to a reported crash in the area of Boylston and Rogers streets around 10:30 p.m. learned Campbell had gotten out of his car after the crash, jumped on the hood of the other vehicle, and then stole it when the other driver ran away, police said.
A few minutes later, further down Rogers Street, police were told Campbell had driven the stolen vehicle onto the sidewalk and struck a pedestrian, who was left with life-threatening injuries.
Shortly after 11 p.m., State Police received several reports of a car, with no lights on, operating erratically and stopping in the left lane of Interstate 495 south in Franklin. A short time later, State Police received a report that the car had been struck by another vehicle as it was stopped in the left lane. Troopers responded to the scene and found the car abandoned. During their investigation, Troopers determined that the car had been stolen from a location in Lowell.
State Police and Franklin Police established a perimeter and began searching for the Campbell, who was located after crossing Interstate 495 and hunkering down in a culvert. When Campbell saw police, he allegedly started yelling that he had a gun. Franklin Police deployed a taser, allowing the joint law enforcement team to arrest him without further incident.
He is expected to be arraigned Monday in Lowell District Court.
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