Transit Officer Wrestles Suspected Cell Phone Thief to the Ground

A transit police officer wrestled a man accused of trying to steal a cell phone to the ground at Back Bay Station Wednesday night, and pepper sprayed him twice as he struggled to escape, according to a report from the MBTA. 

Jonathan Pagan, 20, of Chelsea was arrested at 6:38 p.m. and charged with attempted robbery after two men apprehended him and brought him to transit police, saying he just tried to steal one of their cell phones on the Orange Line platform. 

Michael Cauley of the Transit Police said in his report that Pagan struggled as he was arresting him so he used pepper spray to apprehend him. 

"I told Pagan that he was under arrest and further informed him in a loud clear voice that if he did not comply with my order to place his hands behind his back, he was going to be sprayed," Cauley said in the report.

He said he gave him a one-second spray, more warnings as he continued to struggle, and followed by a second burst as he wrestled him to the ground. But then Pagan got back to his feet, slipped out of his jacket, and made a run for the Commuter Rail Lobby. 

"At this time, I withdrew my expandable baton from my belt, deployed it, held it at ready position and ordered Pagan to the ground face down," Cauley said. "Pagan stated he did not want to get hit and complied." 

By this time, other officers arrived on the scene, and he was taken into custody.