North End restaurant worker chases down hit and run driver, witnesses say
BOSTON - Witnesses say a worker ran out of a North End restaurant to chase down an apparent hit and run driver Tuesday night. The driver he was chasing was reportedly yelling that he had a gun.
Video shows the terrifying moments after the crash. Witnesses can be heard screaming, warning of a man who they say was running away.
Police say the two-car crash happened just after 8 p.m. near the intersection of Hanover and Commercial Street.
Jake Smith lives around the corner and says his friend was in the car that was hit.
"He texted us to tell us he was here, so he was probably pulled over. Then 30 seconds later we heard a crazy car crash," Smith said.
That friend had just pulled up to take Jake and his roommate to their pick-up basketball game.
"Everyone when we walked outside was freaking out a little bit because they said he was yelling that he had a gun, yelling that he had a gun, so we kind of were obviously a little bit cautious too coming down the street," Smith said.
The crash happened right in front of Rocco's. Multiple witnesses say an employee of the bar jumped into action and chased the man down the road. They claim that employee ultimately helped police find the runaway driver.
"He took off running and the police officers actually told us that they found him about five minutes later hiding in a bush," Smith said.
In the next hour, police would comb Commercial Street over and over, using K9s and flashlights, looking for something between the crash site and a second scene about a quarter mile away.
None of the witnesses said they actually saw a gun, just that the man repeatedly threatened to have one while running away.
Police confirmed Wednesday they did arrest someone but no gun was ever recovered. The suspect was taken to the hospital and will be arraigned Wednesday.
