Construction Worker Tackles Escaped Prisoner Near Quincy Court

QUINCY (CBS) - Christopher Maffei of Quincy was in district court for domestic assault and battery.

After his court appearance the judge wanted him locked up, but instead of going to jail, the 26-year-old escape out the back door of the court house in Quincy in handcuffs.

WBZ-TV's Paul Burton reports
Court officers chased him down the street and he almost got away. "He came out of the court house with some speed," Dagle Construction worker Eric Abdon said. "I didn't know if I should make chase but I realize the guy had to be stopped."

Abdon was fixing the traffic lights nearby when he heard the officers yelling and saw Maffei running.
"I chased the guy down to help them out. I met him behind the house and took him down. He was a feisty dude," Abdon said.

Many neighbors saw the scuffle. "Court officers came running. They jumped over the bushes and tackled him. He was punching, kicking, biting and screaming," neighbor Kimberly Lamson said.

As officers were walking Maffei back to court he bit two of them. Abdon suffered a scratch in the scuffle and said he would do it again if he had to. "I just laid my shoulder into him. I had to take him down twice," Abdon said.

Maffei now faces five additional charges including witness intimidation, two counts of assault and battery, escape and destruction of property.