Woburn Van Theft Suspect Ordered To Undergo Mental Evaluation

WOBURN, MA — A Nashua, New Hampshire man accused of stealing an occupied MBTA van in Woburn earlier in the week, has been ordered by a district court judge to undergo a 20-day mental evaluation, multiple outlets have reported.

Thomas Baldwin, 34, appeared in Woburn District Court Thursday, one day after he was taken into custody while hiding inside a Boston hotel. In court, a doctor said Baldwin had a history of mental illness, according to WCVB.

Prosecutors said that at approximately 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, the suspect allegedly had jumped into a running MBTA vehicle, which had a female passenger inside, outside the Stop & Shop located at 2 Elm St. in Woburn.

Transit officials said they believe the vehicle's operator had exited the van, but left the keys in the ignition.

According to reports, the suspect drove the van onto Interstate 93 toward Boston while being pursued by Police. Massachusetts State Police said troopers initially lost sight of the vehicle in Boston, before spotting it again on Mercantile Street and Surface Road.

Authorities said they believe Baldwin exited the vehicle and ran into The Bostonian hotel, located at 26 North St. Troopers found the suspect hiding in a hotel function room, according to reports.

WCVB reported that the female passenger in the car was using the MBTA ride service because she had intellectual challenges.

Prosecutors said the woman called 911 while in the car, but that Baldwin grabbed her phone and threw it out the window.

The female passenger sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital, transit officials said.

According to WCVB, Baldwin had appeared in Woburn District Court on Wednesday — just hours before allegedly taking the MBTA van —in connection with a case involving a Tuesday motor vehicle crash in Burlington.

Baldwin's defense attorney George Panas told the court Thursday that his client's mental state may have played a role in the Wednesday incident.

"There's a history. I'm still investigating the case, so I don't really know how much or from where, but that's one of the things I'm looking into," Panas said according to WCVB.

NECN reported that Baldwin had been hospitalized for six months up until a week before the incident.

MBTA officials said the agency continues to investigate the theft.

Baldwin was ordered to undergo a 20-day mental evaluation at Bridgewater State Hospital, and he is due back in court on Sept. 27, according to reports.