Police in New Hampshire beat man after a chase across two states

Helicopter video of a high-speed police pursuit from Massachusetts to New Hampshire shows a driver stepping slowly out of his truck, kneeling and putting his hands on the ground before several officers rush him and start pummeling him.

The driver was taken into custody Wednesday. The Massachusetts State Police, which was involved in the pursuit, said it would review whether the force used was appropriate.

The chase began Wednesday afternoon when Richard Simone of Worcester, Mass., refused to stop for police in Holden, the Massachusetts State Police said. Simone was wanted on warrants for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, larceny and failure to stop for police, authorities said.

Holden officers chased him and a Massachusetts State Police cruiser followed. The chase went through several towns at speeds exceeding 100 mph, with the suspect’s pickup “making abrupt lane changes as the [suspect] continued to try to evade capture” and crashing at least once, police said in a statement.

The chase ended in a residential area in Nashua, N.H., about 50 miles northeast of where it started.

News helicopter video shows the pickup stopping next to a utility pole on a dead-end street before police officers surround it with weapons drawn. The driver steps from the truck, gets onto the ground and is on all fours and lowering himself when the officers set upon him, throwing punches.

Simone was taken into custody by Nashua officers, who haven’t returned phone calls seeking comment on the chase and Simone’s treatment.

Simone couldn’t be reached for comment while in custody Wednesday night. A phone number listed for him has been disconnected.

The pursuit will be reviewed by the Massachusetts State Police pursuit committee, which is routine procedure. Additionally, the state police said they would review Simone’s apprehension “to determine whether the level of force deployed during the arrest was appropriate.”

Simone will face additional charges related to the pursuit. It’s unclear where and when he’ll be arraigned, but it probably will be in New Hampshire first.

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UPDATES:

8:23 p.m.: The story was updated throughout with new details.

The story was originally published at 5 p.m.