UPDATE: Court documents detail police chase through Westborough

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UPDATE: Court documents detail police chase through Westborough
Willard Street splits off Westborough Road just inside Grafton at the Westborough/Grafton town line. Police arrested a man in this area last week after he led them on a car chase and a foot pursuit. (Photo/Dakota Antelman)

UPDATE: This article has been updated to include information from a criminal complaint against Yamahi Hogarth obtained on Dec. 27.

WESTBOROUGH – A car chase and foot pursuit led to an arrest on a charge of a “possession of counterfeit notes” near the Westborough/ Grafton town line on Dec. 17, according to Westborough Police.

Police addressed this matter in a statement on Dec. 23. 

Court documents viewed by the Community Advocate on Dec. 27 now provide additional details about that chase and police efforts to make their arrest. 

This Dec. 17 incident began around 6:15 p.m., police say, when a Westborough officer saw a lone female walking on a dirt access road between the Primrose Car Wash and Target off Route 9 in Westborough.

The officer saw a man who was following the woman and calling out to her.

“Believing that a domestic incident may have occurred, the Westborough Police Officer attempted to identify both the male and female party,” police wrote in a statement Dec. 23. 

According to the criminal complaint filed in Westborough District Court on Dec. 18, the officer spoke with the suspect before activating his vehicle’s lights to arrest him.

The suspect, who was later identified as Yamahi Hogarth, 36, of New York, fled the scene however, leaving the Target parking lot and turning onto Route 9, police say.

Police broadcasted a description of Hogarth’s vehicle and later received calls from drivers reporting a vehicle “operating erratically toward Westborough Center” that matched the description, according to the complaint.

An officer found the vehicle on West Main Street and activated his lights and siren to try to pull it over.

Hogarth allegedly continued, however, eventually turning his vehicle lights off and crossing into oncoming traffic, according to the complaint.

“Yamahi displayed a blatant disregard for the safety of the motoring public during this reckless manner of escaping law enforcement in his vehicle,” Officer Christopher Traynor wrote in a description attached to his court filing.

Police said they clocked Hogarth’s vehicle traveling at 45 miles-per-hour in a “well posted 30mph zone.” Officers eventually deployed spike strips, prompting Hogarth to get out of his car and flee on foot after crossing into Grafton, the complaint said.

Grafton and Westborough police then worked together, using Westborough K9 Lukas and a drone to find Hogarth in a dark wooded area near Willard Street in Grafton.

“K9 Lukas was able to track and apprehend the suspect with his handler,” police wrote in their statement.

Police found “a large sum of US currency” in a handbag on Hogarth’s person during the booking process, according to the complaint.

Lukas and his handler also recovered currency “during an article search,” the complaint said.

Police seized this money along with receipts for stores and a cell phone. They also seized Hogarth’s vehicle and its contents. 

All told, police found $7,251 on Hogarth, including $5,300 in $100 bills “all believed to be counterfeit,” officers said.

Police said in their statement on Dec. 23 that the Secret Service confirmed these bills were counterfeit. 

They added that the counterfeit money and stolen merchandise they seized was worth a total value of $9,000. 

Hogarth has been charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop for police, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, possession of a counterfeit note and intimidation of a witness. Hogarth is also facing a marked lanes violation, a lights violation, and offenses for speeding and failing to stop at a stop sign. 

He was due to be arraigned on Dec. 20.

This is an ongoing story. It will be updated with any additional information that becomes available…

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