A man who crashed his car into a utility pole Saturday afternoon in Haverhill, after being pursued by Merrimac Police, has died.
Police and Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett’s office have not yet been able to determine the man’s identity, according to Merrimac Police Chief Eric M. Shears. He died about 8:20, Saturday night, a little more than four hours after the crash. An investigation has begun.
“This is obviously an unfortunate outcome,” Shears said. “We are actively investigating and hope to learn more about the circumstances surrounding this incident as soon as possible.”
Merrimac Police said the man fled from police after a traffic stop at about 4:05 p.m., Saturday, near 100 West Main St. He was stopped for allegedly driving with an expired registration. As the Merrimac officer approached the vehicle, the driver sped off. “The officer returned to his car and attempted to catch the vehicle as it fled onto Route 110 and into Haverhill,” Shears said.
The officer, who was unable to catch up to the driver, rounded a corner near the border on Atwood Road in Haverhill and found the vehicle crashed into a telephone pole.
Besides Merrimac Police and the District Attorney’s office, Haverhill Police, Massachusetts State Police and the State Police Accident Reconstruction Team are investigating.