EVERETT, Mass. — On Tuesday, the Middlesex District Attorney’s office ruled that the officer who shot the man accused of hijacking a trash truck before crashing on a bridge near Encore Casino last July was justified in his actions.
Everett Police Officer Daniel Wall shot Admilson Vizcaino, of Malden, after the latter forced the driver out of a Republic Services trash truck in front of Encore Casino before racing off.
It all started around 12:45 p.m. on July 31 of last year when police in Medford received a call about a man acting erratically at a Sunoco gas station, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan.
The man, later identified as Vizcaino, had already left the gas station in a black Chevrolet SUV by the time police arrived.
Medford police issued a “BOLO” (be on the lookout) for the vehicle, and around 1 p.m., Stoneham police spotted the SUV and tried to pull over the driver, who didn’t stop, according to Ryan.
About an hour later, around 2 p.m., the car was spotted at a 7-Eleven in Billerica, where reports of a shoplifting incident had taken place, Ryan said.
Then, around 3:15 p.m., authorities received a phone call from one of Vizcaino’s family members alerting the police that he was in Malden, according to Ryan. By the time officers arrived, the suspect had left, and Malden officers began to give chase but lost sight of the car and notified Everett police.
Shortly after, Vizcaino crashed the SUV on Broadway in Everett near the Encore Casino and drove a short distance before it became completely disabled.
Vizcaino then ran off, allegedly attempting to enter several cars in traffic. Massachusetts State Police troopers swarmed the area, later finding a gas container inside the SUV that the suspect was seen carrying at the 7/11.
The DA says troopers used a taser in an attempt to subdue Vizcaino but he continued to evade police on foot even after being tased.
Vizcaino then approached the Republic Services garbage truck, which was stopped at a red light.
He opened the driver’s side door of the garbage truck and wrestled control of the steering wheel. The passenger was able to exit the truck while Vizcaino, still armed with the knife, struggled with the driver.
Wall then fired his gun, hitting Vizcaino and the Everett police officer was able to pull the driver from the truck.
“Our review of the facts reveals that, in the totality of the circumstances, Officer Daniel Wall was justified in the use of deadly force in defense of himself and others, based upon his own belief and the reasonably objective belief that he and his fellow officers, the Republic Services truck driver and citizens in the area were in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury at the time he fired his firearm,” DA Marian Ryan said in a statement.
He proceeded to drive the truck for about a half mile, with police on hot pursuit, striking light poles, fire hydrants, and several other things before crashing on the sidewalk on the Alford Street Bridge, Ryan said.
The police were able to remove him from the truck and arrest him before transporting him to a nearby hospital.
Vizcaino is charged with five counts of attempted armed carjacking, two counts of armed carjacking, assault by means of a dangerous weapon, armed assault to rob and leaving the scene of a collision resulting in property damage.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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