Man Who Almost Hit Police Officer with Car Indicted

A Massachusetts man who led police on a high-speed chase last October was indicted on multiple charges this month. 

Fred C. Riley, 33, of Methuen was indicted by a Rockingham County Superior Court grand jury on one count of reckless conduct, two counts of disobeying an officer and one count of misuse or failure to display plates. According to the indictments, he drove his Plymouth Reliant at Salem Police Officer Michael Verrocchi on Oct. 5, 2013, nearly striking him. He also neglected to stop the vehicle when signaled to do so by both Verrocchi and Salem Police Officer Justin Bagley. His car also had license plates belonging to another vehicle.

According to Salem Police, Riley was initially stopped by Verrocchi on Pond Street, but then fled the scene by doing a U-turn, driving over a lawn and driving toward Verrocchi, who had to jump out of the way. Police located the vehicle heading into Haverhill and Methuen, MA, and at one point Riley asked a Methuen Police dispatcher why Salem Police were following him into Massachusetts. Riley eventually pulled over at the intersection of Atkinson Street and Route 97, but refused to obey police officers' commands to be taken into custody.

He appeared to be intoxicated and out of sorts, police said, claiming the officers were "terrorists" and that people were out to get him. Haverhill Police responded and took custody of him on fugitive from justice charges.