Wanted Taunton man arrested along with Somerset woman after police chase

AUGUST 10, 2018—State Troopers assigned to the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, with assistance from Norton Police and Raynham Police detectives, today arrested a fugitive wanted on firearms and drug charges, after pursuing the man by car and on foot.

Thomas Holland of Taunton, who turns 32 on Saturday, was wanted in connection with a Manchester, N.H., shooting last September; for waving a firearm at people on Taunton Green on June 2 and then kicking in the door of an apartment in an attempt to evade arrest; and in connection with a large amount of crack cocaine Danvers Police recovered in a motel from which Holland had just fled on Aug. 1.

Holland was arrested in the Taunton incident in June after police found him hiding in a shower in the apartment he forced his way into. However a bail clerk set bail at the station, he made bail, and failed to show up for his arraignment in Taunton District Court.

Troopers from the State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section began looking for Holland and developed information that led them to establish surveillance today at a hotel in Norton.

At 4:45 p.m. Troopers and Norton and Raynham detectives observed Holland and a woman in a vehicle in the hotel’s parking lot. Troopers and Officers tried to stop the vehicle, which was operated by the woman with Holland in the passenger seat, before it approached Bay Street at Route 495 in Taunton. Police boxed in the vehicle, which then backed into a cruiser as the Troopers and Officers tried to get to the occupants.

The suspect vehicle was able to drive away and flee, striking an unmarked Norton Police cruiser. Police attempted to stop traffic on Bay Street to prevent a crash while still trying to block the vehicle. while A pursuit ensued with the vehicle then intentionally striking a Norton Police Detective Cruiser. Involved officers attempted to stop traffic at the Bay Street intersection to prevent an accident and attempt to block the vehicle.

The suspect vehicle then drove at another cruiser, then onto the ramp to Route 495 southbound. The suspect vehicle was traveling in all travel lanes and the breakdown lane at high rates of speed. The vehicle exited at Route 138 then entered onto 495 again.

Traffic got heavy before the exit to Route 24; Holland jumped out of the car and ran north on 495, attempting to open doors of and get into vehicles in stopped in traffic.

All Troopers and Officers converged on Holland and arrested him without further incident in the middle lane of Route 495. He was charged with the warrants stemming from the three above listed incidents as well as new charges of resisting arrest and attempted carjacking.

The woman driving the vehicle, Brittany Pasternak of Somerset, also was arrested for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and malicious destruction of property.