A Massachusetts man wanted on multiple warrants allegedly led police through Bellingham and Franklin on Tuesday before abandoning his pickup, jumping a fence, swimming a small river and disappearing into the woods like he had selected the wilderness escape package. Police caught up with him later in the day. The chase had started with what was supposed to be a routine traffic stop.
Bellingham and Franklin police identified the driver as 54-year-old Dominick Revell of Franklin. According to police, a Bellingham officer tried to stop a blue Ford Ranger on Pulaski Boulevard shortly before 9 a.m. The truck was already on file as one Revell commonly drove.
Revell allegedly refused to stop, and the pursuit pushed into Franklin as additional local officers began to join in. Police flattened the truck’s passenger-side tires with stop sticks on Grove Street. But Revell ended up continuing anyway, despite the apparent inconvenience.
The truck eventually stopped on its own, however, unable to take more. That’s when Revell allegedly got out and ran. He jumped a fence, swam across a small river, and disappeared into a wooded area after fleeing on foot. Officers knew they needed some additional assistance, so they set up a perimeter and called in regional help to track him down.
How the Chase Unfolded
Revell’s truck struck several mailboxes along the route through Franklin while he drove on the damaged tires, dragging the postal service into a chase. The chase briefly approached the Medway town line at one point before doubling back. Then, the vehicle finally finished up the chase to end up on Pond Street.
Local TV outlets later aired what appeared to be neighborhood security footage of the blue pickup driving through residential streets with patrol units close behind. Another clip in the coverage showed officers approaching the stopped vehicle with their weapons drawn. By that point, the pursuit had already moved on foot.
The Search and the Charges
K9 teams from the Milford and Millis police departments responded to the perimeter as mutual-aid assistance, according to Bellingham and Franklin officials. Drone teams from Bellingham and Franklin also took part in tracking Revell across the wooded area. The lead departments released Revell’s mugshot to the public and asked residents in the search area for any information that could help locate him.
One K9 track led officers to a home on Partridge Street in Franklin that police said was associated with Revell, but he was not found at the address. Bellingham and Franklin officers later took him into custody together. Bellingham police said the department plans to seek charges that include failure to stop for police, reckless operation, operating after suspension, and speeding, while Franklin police said they plan to seek additional charges that include leaving the scene of property damage and reckless operation.