Police and Fire News

Multiple offense drunk driver crashes and is captured by Police K9 Unit in Yarmouth; Harwich Police respond to 165 weekend calls including one OUI; Two arrests in Truro

Multiple offense drunk driver crashes and is captured by Police K9 Unit

   Mark Carlson Sprague, arrested on multiple charges including OUI Liquor 4th Offense.

WEST YARMOUTH - On Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 1:37 a.m., Yarmouth Police Detective Russell Giammarco noticed a suspicious vehicle stopped in a business area with its interior light on at the end of Townbrook Road Extension in West Yarmouth with a male and female seated inside.  As Detective Giammarco drove closer, the vehicle suddenly drove off at a high rate of speed south on Townbrook Road Extension.

Detective Giammarco activated his unmarked police cruiser emergency lights and siren and attempted to stop the vehicle.  The vehicle did not stop and continued to travel southbound across Buck Island Road and on to Townbrook Road heading towards Route 28 at speeds between 50 and 60 miles per hour in a posted 30 mile per hour speed limit zone. Detective Giammarco temporarily lost sight of the vehicle and fellow Yarmouth Police Patrol Officer Melissa Alden quickly located it crashed on the front lawn of DiParma’s Restaurant at the intersection of Route 28 and Townbrook Road. 

The vehicle in question—a green minivan—had apparently travelled directly across Route 28 over the granite curb and up onto the front lawn of the restaurant causing severe damage to the front end and undercarriage of the vehicle and landscaping. A female passenger was located standing nearby the vehicle and witnesses reported that the driver had fled on foot eastbound on Route 28.  The passenger was identified as Laura Gorman who reported that it was her ex-boyfriend, Mark Sprague, who had been operating her van. Ms. Gorman has minor injuries to her right arm and members of the Yarmouth Fire Department were called to the scene for emergency examination and treatment.

Under the direction of Yarmouth Police Patrol Sergeant John K. Fallon the immediate area was secured and a search was initiated for the suspect.  Yarmouth Police Officers George Tsoukalas, Melissa Alden, and K9 Patrol Officer Mark Thibeault and his partner Clark conducted a coordinated track starting from the driver’s door of the van.  Clark categorized the odor and immediately began tracking southeast of the restaurant and subsequently located the suspect hiding under heavy brush on the property of the nearby Cove Resort complex. The suspect, Mark Carlson Sprague, 30, of Prospect Avenue in West Yarmouth, was placed in custody and transported to Yarmouth Police Headquarters. Sprague was charged with the following:

• Felony OUI Liquor 4th Offense
• Leaving the Scene of a Crash with Personal Injury
• 2 Counts Failure to Stop for a Stop Sign
• Failure to Stop for a Police Officer
• Operating to Endanger
• Operating with a Revoked Registration
• Speeding

He was held overnight and transported to the Barnstable District Court for arraignment this morning.

Release and mugshot courtesy of the Yarmouth Police Department.

Harwich Police respond to 165 call in the course of a weekend

Calls include eight car crashes, two arrests

HARWICH - From 8 a.m. Friday, June 26th to 8 a.m.  Monday, June 29th, the Harwich Police responded to 165 calls for service.  Among the calls were eight motor vehicle crashes and three disturbances. 

Four people will face a variety of criminal charges.  Below are two of the subjects who were arrested.  Two other subjects were issued criminal applications to appear in court at a later date.

Amanda Viera of Crestwood Lane in Dennisport was arrested on Sunday, June 28 on Division Street in West Harwich by Officer Aram Goshgarian on a Default Warrant for Motor Vehicle Violations.

Anne Flaherty of Lower County Road in Harwichport was arrested on Monday, June 29th on Headwaters Drive in Harwich by Sgt. John Sullivan for OUI (Liquor), Negligent Operation of a Vehicle, Possession of Mace without an FID Card, Failure to Yield to Right of Way and Marked Lanes Violations.

Release & mugshots courtesy of the Harwich Police Department.

Two arrests in Truro this past week

TRURO - The Truro Police Department responded to over 175 calls during the period of June 22 through June 28 including reports of suspicious activity and threats.  Two arrests were made during this period:

Officers arrested Courtney Alfanso Bogle, 53, of North Truro on Route 6 in North Truro for Assault and Battery and Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon.

Officers arrested Meredith Leigh Spearance, 24, of Shelburne, MA, on Route 6 at Stott's Circle in North Truro for Speeding, Suspended License, Refusing to Identify One's Self to an Officer While Operating a Motor Vehicle.

Release courtesy of the Truro Police Department.