Damaged parts of a shed attached to the back of the Getty Mart gas station and convenience store on Elm Street are stacked on the side while repairs are underway after the shed was repeatedly struck, apparently intentionally, by a motorist who was subsequently arrested. (Photo by Carl E. Hartdegen)
WESTFIELD – A city man was subdued with Tasers and arrested on several charges at the end of a police chase Monday evening after he allegedly intentionally rammed a commercial building with his SUV.
City police were alerted by a caller from the American Legion who reported that Christian R. Lent, 35, of 656 West Road, had struck the porch of the post with his vehicle before he left the area.
The caller said that the damage to the porch was not significant and did not seek criminal charges but alerted police to a possibly unsafe operator.
Police next heard of Lent when a caller from an Elm Street gas station and convenience store called police at 9:18 p.m. to report “having a trouble” with a customer who began ramming the building with his SUV after he left the store.
Officer Gary Hagar was the first responding officer to arrive and reports he observed the suspect vehicle leave the gas station and proceed northbound on Elm Street.
Hagar activated his lights and siren but reports that, although Lent continued at a moderate speed, he did not stop until his progress was blocked by traffic stopped at the intersection of Notre Dame Street.
By then additional officers had joined Hagar but, when they approached on foot, the lights changed, traffic started to move and Lent attempted to drive away, forcing officers to jump clear before his progress was halted by the vehicle in front of his which stopped when the light turned red again.
A cruiser was positioned in front of Lent’s Blazer but he did not comply with instructions to exit the vehicle.
Hagar reports that officers were forced to pry his fingers from the steering wheel and pull him from the vehicle where he continued to struggle in the middle of the roadway and resisted efforts to emplace handcuffs.
A Taser stun was delivered to encourage compliance but Lent continued to struggle until two additional shocks were administered by the officers’ Tasers.
After he was taken into custody, Hagar spoke with gas station clerk who had called police and was told that Lent had come into the store to pay for gas and buy some candy but then grabbed a handful of disposable lighters and left without paying for them.
He then reportedly rammed his Blazer into a shed attached to the rear of the building which Hagar found suffered significant damage when it was struck.
In the booking room Lent repeatedly dozed off while speaking with officers and, although a blood alcohol test showed that the alcohol in his blood stream was less that the legal limit, officers concluded that he was obviously under the influence of an undetermined substance.
He was arrested for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, failure to stop for police, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and shoplifting by asportation.
He is expected to be arraigned Wednesday in Westfield District Court.
