‘We took him down’: Good Samaritans help Marshfield officer arrest defiant OUI suspect

MARSHFIELD, Mass. — Two out of the three Good Samaritans who helped a Marshfield police officer arrest a defiant and combative OUI suspect are describing the tense ordeal.

It started around 5 p.m. on Saturday in the area of Ferry Street and Clay Pit Road. That’s when police say 37-year-old James Shields blew a red light and got into an accident with another car.

Several witnesses watched his SUV speed away from the scene moments after the impact.

They called the police with a vehicle and partial plate description and proceeded to follow the SUV.

“What we were seeing him doing and the way he was driving showed a total disregard for anybody,” said one of the good Samaritans, who didn’t want his name used.

Boston 25 News spoke with one of the Good Samaritans who trailed behind Shields for about two miles.

He said he watched Shields refuse to pull over for a responding officer.

The pursuit ended in a strip mall parking lot on Plain Street when police said Shields exited the vehicle and ignored the officer’s commands.

“He wasn’t complying,” said the anonymous Good Samaritan. “Once his hand went in his pocket, I wasn’t sure if he had anything in there or not.”

The two witnesses who followed Shields to the parking lot helped the female officer bring Shields to the ground.

“We took him down,” said the good Samaritan. “She was able to get one cuff on him, and it took the two of us to get his other arm around to get the other cuff on.”

Boston 25 News interviewed another good Samaritan who was eating at the nearby Ming Dynasty and rushed in to help.

“I jumped on his legs because he was moving with his legs,” he said. “If I can help out, I’m going to jump in. That’s all there is to it!”

Additional police patrols arrived after Shields was in handcuffs, and it continued to be a team effort to get him into the back of a squad car.

“By the time I showed up, the party was still very actively resistant,” said Marshfield Sgt. Stephen Mulligan. “He was doing everything he could to escape.”

Sgt. Mulligan said it took an additional 15 minutes to bring the drunk driving suspect into custody as he spat on and kicked officers.

He describes overwhelming gratitude for the three Good Samaritans who put their own safety on the line to help.

“They jumped right in, and it could’ve gone really bad, really quickly if they didn’t act as quickly as they did,” added Sgt. Mulligan.

Shields was arraigned on Monday on more than two dozen charges and held on $1,500 bail after Saturday’s crash, police said in a statement late Monday afternoon. Initial bail had been set on Saturday at $10,000.

Shields was charged with operating under the influence of liquor, second offense; assault and battery on a police officer, five counts; assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, three counts; threat to commit a crime, five counts; malicious and wanton damage to property, two counts; intimidation of a police officer, resisting arrest, reckless operation, negligent operation, speeding, leaving the scene of property damage, failure to stop, unsafe operation of a motor vehicle, failure to signal, failure to stop at a red light, marked lanes violation, no inspection sticker, unsafe lane change, disorderly conduct, and disturbing the peace.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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