Man Allegedly Fleeing from Police Rescued from Merrimack River

(WHAV News file photograph.)

A man allegedly attempting to evade police questioning injured himself and several first responders Wednesday night when he fled into the Merrimack River, Haverhill Fire Chief William Laliberty tells WHAV.

According to Laliberty, Haverhill Harbormaster Michael Vets, fire crews from Rescue 1 and Engine 4, Trinity EMS, local and State Police responded to search for the man—whom police “just wanted to question and assess”—before he fled into the water near the former Hannah Duston Rest Area near Route 110. An Amesbury Police Department K-9 unit discovered the man on the other side of the river.

Injuring himself during his attempt to get away, the man was brought up the steep riverbank and transported to a local hospital for evaluation, Laliberty said.

The fire chief applauded first responders for making it through the challenging rescue. “This high-angle rescue operation went very well. Several rescue members were stung by bees, slipped, tripped and fell. At least two firefighters reported that they suffered injuries during the operation but they continued their efforts to rescue the victim,” he said.

It is not clear why police were looking to question the man.

Comments are closed.