One Injured, One Arrest in Crash After Chase

It was 5:30 Friday evening, in the heart of the rush hour commute, that Bedford Police Sgt. Devon Kimball attempted to pull over the driver of a dark-colored 2002 Chevy Prizm on South River Road for multiple driving violations.

After failing to stop when signaled, the operator of the vehicle continued south to the Merrimack town line at a slow speed for about a half mile before stopping and reversing direction.

The Prizm driver allegedly accelerated northbound on South River Road, reentering Bedford at a high rate of speed, before crashing into a vehicle stopped at the red light near the Raymond Wieczorek Drive overpass.

The collision, according to a release from Bedford Police Department, involved three vehicles and sent one driver to the hospital for what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries.

The driver of the Prizm, identified as 45-year-old David West of Bedford, was not injured. He was arrested and charged with seven offenses, including operating after suspension, disobeying an officer, breach of bail and reckless operation.

West was held on cash bail Friday night and is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday, Feb. 4, at the Merrimack District Court.

South River Road northbound, near the Merrimack town line, was shut down for roughly 45 minutes while the scene was cleared. The Bedford Fire Department assisted on scene for a ruptured fuel tank.

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