Police Chase, Rammed Cars, Crashes And An Arrest in Brookline

BROOKLINE, MA — An officer was taken to the hospital, several cars were damaged and one person from out of state was arrested early Wednesday morning following a police chase and several reports that turned out to be related, police said.

Jonathan Hernandez, 24, of Boynton Beach FL was arrested and charged with assault and battery of a dangerous weapon, a vehicle, as well as receiving stolen property under $1,200.

Around 4:45 a.m. an Oakland Road resident called police to report a stolen gray car. Right after that, someone reported a hit-and-run near the corner of High Street and Highland Road, involving a gray car and a blue van.

Shortly after, police happened to see a gray Acura speeding westbound down Route 9 and began a short chase, losing sight of it briefly near Chestnut Hill Avenue, they said, before finding it crashed into a parked car at 775 Boylston St.

The owner of the Acura said while he was in Dorchester several people in a blue van broke into his car and stole music amplifiers. When he saw what had happened he jumped in his car and chased after the van into Brookline.

The van drove down Oakland Road Extension, which is a dead end, and then turned around and intentionally rammed the Acura.

The driver of the Acura then got out of his car to confront the people in the blue van, but when he did this, one of the people in the van got into his car and both the van drove off, leaving him on the Oakland Road Extension.

Residents of Oakland Road heard the owner of the Acura, now stranded yelling, and called police.
A short time after finding the Acura, police also found a blue van that had been involved an arrested the driver, Hernandez.

Both the car and the van were towed to the Brookline Police Station. Two police cars had minor damage as a result of the pursuit and one officer was taken to Beth Israel hospital for minor injuries.

Police said they're still investigating and ask if anyone in the area of either Oakland Road or the extention or Boylston Street where the Acura crashed has a home surveillance camera that may have caught it on video that might help to call the department.

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).