LANCASTER — On Saturday, December 28, 2024, at approximately 2:34 p.m., Detective Andrew Shaw and Sergeant Christine Duggan of the Lancaster Police Department were dispatched to the area of Ponakin Road following a report that a truck “appeared to be ramming other vehicles.”
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narratives of Detective Shaw and Sergeant Duggan and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)
While en route, the officers were informed by dispatch that the vehicle was a red pickup truck traveling on North Main Street (Route 117).
“When Sergeant Duggan and I were in the area of Nashua Road and the Harpers Farm stand on North Main Street, we observed a red Dodge [Ram] pickup truck, Rhode Island Commercial [plates] 88089, heading toward us,” Det. Shaw said.
According to police, the pickup truck’s left front wheel was turned sideways and scraped against the roadway as the vehicle moved.
“The left front wheel was sideways on the roadway,” Sgt. Duggan said. Adding, “I observed the operator to be a young, small-statured woman with brown hair.”
After spotting the pickup truck near the Harpers Farm stand, the officers turned their cruisers around, activated their blue emergency lights, and followed the vehicle to initiate a traffic stop.
“The pickup truck did not stop as we got behind it and continued to travel on North Main Street,” Sgt. Duggan said. “As we followed the vehicle, our blue lights and sirens were activated. The vehicle was not operating at a high speed but it was evident that the operator was having trouble controlling the vehicle due to the damage. The vehicle was having trouble maintaining lanes and a steady speed. The vehicle stopped near 1257 North Main Street when it struck a curb and got hung up. Detective Shaw and I exited our cruisers and started approaching the truck. The operator stopped trying to go forward and then put the truck in reverse.”
When the driver shifted the truck into reverse, Det. Shaw reported that he and Sgt. Duggan had to quickly re-enter their cruisers and maneuver out of the way to avoid being struck. The driver then shifted the truck into drive and proceeded eastward on North Main Street.
“As the operator gunned the engine to push the truck forward, they lost control,” Sgt. Duggan said. “The truck then jumped the curb, crossed a [resident’s] lawn, and struck a mailbox.”
The operator steered the truck back onto the roadway after striking the mailbox.
“The truck continued east on North Main Street and through the lights at Main Street (Route 70),” Sgt. Duggan said.
According to Sgt. Duggan, while passing through the intersection, the driver of the truck lost control and struck a group of trees on the western corner of the intersection.
“I stopped my cruiser at the western corner of the intersection and exited,” Sgt. Duggan said. “I approached the driver’s side of the truck. When I was within 10 feet of the driver’s door, the operator put the truck in reverse and began to gun the engine. The movement of the truck was unpredictable due to the movement of the wheel so I moved away from the truck. The truck began to move backwards, so I moved my cruiser out of the direct line of travel.”
Sgt. Duggan noted that at this time, she observed several vehicles taking evasive actions to avoid the truck, such as pulling to the side of the road, turning around, and pulling into driveways.
Sgt. Duggan reported that the truck, after backing out from the trees it had crashed into, re-entered the intersection.
“The operator had difficulty steering the vehicle,” Sgt. Duggan noted.
Detective Shaw followed directly behind the truck with the lights and sirens of his cruiser activated.
“Due to the time of day and the amount of people who commonly walk along Main Street, and the erratic driving of this individual, I was fearful for the life of pedestrians in the area,” Det. Shaw said. “The operator of the vehicle was placing the public in extreme danger. I did not discontinue the pursuit due to the erratic driving and the fact that the vehicle was already disabled and would surely crash whether I was behind it or not.”
According to Det. Shaw, the vehicle did not stop and continued south on Main Street.
“At this point in time, I was still behind the vehicle with lights and turned on my sirens to a rumble setting to help alert pedestrians in the area,” Det. Shaw said. “The vehicle continued south on Main Street and continued to refuse to stop.”
According to police, as the truck travelled south, it sideswiped several cars that were parked along the street near 1053 Main Street.
“There was a gathering at a residence and there were people coming and going from these vehicles,” Sgt. Duggan said.
After sideswiping the vehicles, the truck continued south on Main Street until the operator lost control of the vehicle after rounding the curve near Bigelow Gardens.
“In the area of Bigelow Gardens, the vehicle lost control and veered off the roadway, striking a stone wall and coming to a stop in front of a telephone pole,” Det. Shaw said. “At this point in time, it appeared as though the driver was going to attempt to flee again.”
Det. Shaw positioned his cruiser on the passenger side of the truck and slightly behind to prevent the driver from attempting to flee again.
“The truck would have to reverse to get around the utility pole because of the damage to the wheel,” Sgt. Duggan said. “Before Detective Shaw put his cruiser in park, the truck reversed into his cruiser.”
According to Sgt. Duggan, the truck’s right rear struck the left front of Detective Shaw’s cruiser.
After reversing into Detective Shaw’s cruiser, the operator then put the truck in drive and lurched forward.
“It is my belief that the operator knew where my location was and was backing into me in an attempt to flee,” Det. Shaw said.
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“I got out of my vehicle and ran up to the driver’s side door and attempted to open it and secure the operator,” Det. Shaw said. “The door would not open and I yelled to the operator, who was later identified as Megan Rose, to open up the car. Rose stated ‘NO.’ I repeated my order to open up the car and Rose stated, “NO WAY.” Rose then began to roll down her window and threw a small stick out of the window. I told Rose to stop the vehicle to which she stated ‘NO.’ During this time, it appeared to me as if Rose would continue driving if she was not stopped.”
According to police, Megan M. Rose, 27, is a resident of 31 Jefferson Road, Northborough, MA.
“Rose then attempted to roll the window back up,” Det. Shaw recounted.
At this time, Det. Shaw broke the window of the truck, reached into the vehicle, and opened the door from the inside.
“I then grabbed Rose by the arm and told her to get out of the vehicle,” Detective Shaw said. “Rose stated ‘OK’ but continued to cling to the steering wheel. I assisted Rose down on the ground and Sergeant Duggan assisted me in handcuffing her. Rose’s hands were bleeding and EMS was called to treat her injuries. I asked Rose why she was running and she stated she didn’t have a license.”
Rose was arrested and charged with:
- Assault & Battery with a Dangerous Weapon
- Operating a Motor Vehicle with a Suspended License
- Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle
- Fail to Stop for Police
- Leaving the Scene of Property Damage
Det. Shaw stated that at the time of her arrest, Rose also had three outstanding default warrants for failing to appear in court.
“Rose was transported to Clinton Hospital to be treated for injuries,” Det. Shaw said. “Rose was Mirandized at the hospital and treated for her injuries.”
According to Det. Shaw, at approximately 4:44 p.m., Cathy George, the bail commissioner, was called for bail.
“The bail commissioner stated Rose is not bailable,” Det. Shaw said.
“On 12/29/2024, I spoke with Matthew [last name redacted] the initial caller from the first accident,” Det. Shaw said. “[Matthew] stated he watched Rhode Island Commercial 88089 come to a stop at the stop sign on Ponakin Road and North Main Street. [Matthew] stated that the vehicle then accelerated rapidly and began heading west on North Main Street. [Matthew] stated that the driver then crashed into a tree in the property that abuts his. [Matthew] provided me with video he took after the initial accident. The video shows Rose in the driver’s seat crashed into a cluster of trees. Rose stated in the video, ‘I spilled my coffee,’ when asked why she was driving like that. [Matthew] stated that Rose was driving erratically well before the accident occurred.”
Rose was arraigned in Clinton District Court on December 30, 2024. The Commonwealth’s motion to revoke her bail was denied by Judge Jon Revelli, which allowed for her transfer to Dudley District Court for outstanding warrant(s). Judge Revelli set bail at $1,000 cash or $10,000 surety and prohibited Rose from operating a motor vehicle as a condition of her release.
On Jan. 27, 2025, Rose attended a pretrial conference. Her next court date is a compliance and election hearing scheduled for March 24, 2025.
Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story was from December 2024, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to get the court documents for the incident. FOIAs are time consuming.
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