Crime
“Even without officers in pursuit of the vehicle, it was observed traveling in excess of 100 MPH and in an extremely reckless manner,” police said.
Mark Alicea was arrested by Enfield Police Sunday. Enfield Police Department
A 39-year-old man wanted by Massachusetts law enforcement for arson was arrested in Connecticut Sunday after a high-speed vehicle chase involving an allegedly stolen car.
Mark Alicea, of Fitchburg, was arrested after officers became aware of a stolen vehicle and attempted to stop it, according to a press release from the Enfield Police Department.
Alicea has been wanted for arson since June in relation to a Feb. 18 fire in Fitchburg that displaced seven people and injured one, the Telegram & Gazette reported.
After being stopped by officers Sunday, Alicea allegedly took off in the stolen vehicle. Officers called off the chase, based on state policy, police said.
“Even without officers in pursuit of the vehicle, it was observed traveling in excess of 100 mph and in an extremely reckless manner,” EPD said in a statement posted to social media.
Officers eventually used a tire deflation device to disable the vehicle, at which point Alicea took off on foot, police said.
“K-9 Odin was deployed, tracking the suspect through dense vegetation, swamplands, across a pond, and eventually apprehended the suspect,” EPD said.
Alicea was charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, criminal mischief in the third degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree, interfering with a police investigation, engaging police in a pursuit, reckless driving, and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.
He was held on a $200,000 cash bond.
When it was later discovered that Alicea had an extraditable arrest warrant from Worcester County for arson, he was also charged with being a fugitive from justice and held on an additional $800,000 cash bond, police said.
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