Man Accused Of Trying To Run Down Westford Police Chief Back In Court

AYER -- A 21-year-old Lowell man accused two years ago of leading Westford police on a high-speed chase and trying to run down the Westford police chief was back before a judge on Wednesday on probation violation that could have sent him to jail.

In Ayer District Court on Wednesday, Isiah Lyons was accused by the Probation Department of violating his probation in the Westford case by being arrested by Lowell police on Dec. 10 and charged with domestic assault. That case is pending.

Judge Margaret Guzman could have sentenced Lyons to serve remaining year of his jail sentence, but instead "admonished'' him and placed Lyons back on probation without any more jail time.

On May 4, 2016, Lyons was given a two-year jail sentence with one year to serve and the balance of the sentence suspended for two years while he is on probation until 2018 for his Sept. 21, 2015 arrest by Westford police.

Lyons pleaded guilty to a charges of: receiving a stolen motor-vehicle; assault with a dangerous weapon; reckless operation of a motor vehicle; and failure to stop for police. A number of other charges were dismissed, including attempted murder.

During a hearing shortly after Lyons' 2015 arrest,Westford Police Chief Thomas McEnaney testified that he heard on his police scanner reports of high-speed pursuit with speeds of up to 100 mph, involving a stolen 2006 BMW SUV. The chase, which began on Littleton Road minutes earlier, was on Interstate 495 north, with the stolen SUV speeding down the breakdown lane.

McEnaney parked his unmarked cruiser on Boston Road at the I-495 off ramp. He saw the stolen SUV exit the highway and get snarled in Boston Road traffic at a red light. McEnaney testified that as he drew his firearm and approached the stolen car, he repeatedly yelled, "Police. Shut off the car."

McEnaney said he saw the driver, later identified as Lyons, try to maneuver the SUV so he could drive out. As McEnaney and the driver made eye contact, the SUV headed straight for him, forcing McEnaney to jump out of the way.

The SUV drove off, with other cruisers in pursuit. Less than two minutes later, the SUV had crashed into a guardrail at the intersection of Boston and Carlisle roads. Lyons suffered a fractured shoulder in the crash.

Photo of Isiah Lyons by Lisa Redmond/lisa.redmond@patch.com.