Suspect Captured After Pursuit on Cleveland Road

A Framingham man, fleeing from the Natick Police Department on a motorcycle, was captured on Cleveland Road by Chief of Police Terrence Cunningham after a foot pursuit.

The incident began on Wednesday, May 5, shortly after 5PM.  Natick Police officers observed a motorcycle being operated erratically by a male on Route 9 eastbound in Natick.  Officers attempted to pull the motorcycle over, but the operator refused to stop and traveled at high rate of speed towards Wellesley on Route 9 trying to elude Natick.

Wellesley Police Dispatcher Robert Rowe, a veteran midnight dispatcher working an extra shift, monitored the pursuit in the Wellesley Police Communications Center and began moving Wellesley Police officers towards Route 9 in an effort to intercept the fleeing motorcycle.  Chief of Police Cunningham, who had just left the police station, was also monitoring the pursuit on the Natick Police radio channel, and positioned himself on Route 9 east at Weston Road.  Natick officers notified the Wellesley Police Department that they had discontinued the pursuit, but that the motorcycle was heading towards Wellesley.  Natick Officers tried to keep the fleeing bike in sight as it passed Lexington Road.

Chief Cunningham didn't have to wait long before the motorcycle arrived.  The motorcycle, operated by Michael Kelly of Framingham, approached the Chief's position at a high rate of speed, passing motor vehicles.  Seeing the Chief, Kelly tried to avoid him by making a rapid exit from Route 9 to Weston Road.  Kelly lost control of the motorcycle and crashed on the off ramp.  As Chief Cunningham attempted to administer first aid, Kelly quickly stood up and ran from the Chief on foot.

Kelly then ran across all four lanes of Route 9, both east and west, during rush hour traffic, discarding his t-shirt in the process.  Kelly then went across Cleveland Road and into the rear yards, headed towards Pilgrim Road.  Officer Brian Spencer and Ty Mao began to set up a perimeter as more and more Wellesley Police officers arrived on scene.   Several Natick police officers were also on scene, including one officer who followed and observed Kelly enter Wellesley.

Chief Cunningham lost sight of Kelly, but only for a few moments.  Meanwhile, residents of Cleveland Road, Martin Road, and Pilgrim Road all began coming out their houses to see what was going on.  As officers spoke to the residents, and gathered more information, the search was narrowed to one particular house on Cleveland Road.  Chief Cunningham, headed for the rear of the house in question to search it, checked an innocent looking set of shrubs in the front of the house.   There, behind the shrubs, was Kelly, trying to hide. Kelly was removed from the shrubs and placed under arrest by several Wellesley and Natick police officers.

Kelly had several injuries from his motorcycle accident, and was transported, under arrest, by Wellesley Paramedics to MetroWest Medical Center in Natick.  Officer Matt Farwell assisted Natick by riding along in the ambulance with the now in custody Kelly. 

This is the second time, within a month's time, that high ranking members of the Wellesley Police Department were involved in a dramatic foot pursuit and capture.

Kelly was charged by the Natick Police Department for various motor vehicle criminal offenses.

A Wellesley Police Department Community Notification Message was sent out to residents via Nixle, informing residents of the pursuit and capture of the suspect.

Special thanks, once again, to Wellesley resident and retried veteran WBZ TV news photographer Nat Whittemore, who provided photos of the capture to the Wellesley Police Department.

For additional photos of the capture, click HERE to go directly to www.wellesleypdphoto.com.