HAVERHILL, Mass. — Police in Haverhill are investigating a crash that sent a pregnant woman to the hospital with serious injuries.
The crash happened just after 6 p.m. and involved two cars. Deanna Clarke, the 7-month-pregnant woman, had been driving a Jeep Cherokee when it was hit.
“She had a broken bone, severe pain to her stomach. She was MedFlighted to Mass General in Boston,” Assistant District attorney Steven Patten said.
The driver of the other car, 24-year-old Josef Leavitt from Methuen, was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
An off-duty police officer who lives in the neighborhood told investigators that it appeared as if Leavitt crashed into the Jeep on purpose.
“At one point she observed the silver BMW intentionally crash on the left side of the Jeep,” Patten said.
Clarke's boyfriend was a passenger in the Jeep and suffered only minor injuries. He said the incident started when they tried to sell Leavitt marijuana, but he didn't have the money.
"They were leaving the scene," PAtten said. "The defendant gave chase in his own vehicle."
The off-duty officer who witnessed the crash said she also saw Leavitt steal the marijuana from the Jeep.
Leavitt initially drove off, but later went to the police.
“He voluntarily went to the police station and gave a much different rendition of the facts,” Leavitt's defense attorney Michael Baldassarre said.
Leavitt is charged with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He is being held until a dangerousness hearing next week.
Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
