Chief Julie Flaherty reports that Arlington Police arrested a man this afternoon who crashed into a front yard of a house and allegedly brandished a knife.
RODOLFO GARCES, AGE 53, OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA was charged with:
- Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle
- Leaving the Scene of a Crash After Causing Property Damage
- Assault with a Dangerous Weapon
At approximately 1:35 p.m., Arlington Police responded to a home on Lublin Street for a report of a car that had crashed into the front yard of the house.
A preliminary on-scene investigation indicated that the driver of the vehicle, believed to be GARCES, crashed a 2016 Nissan Versa and allegedly brandished a 3-inch folding knife when one of the residents of the home approached the vehicle following the crash. He then allegedly fled the scene of the crash.
Responding officers set up a perimeter and searched the area for GARCES. Officers located GARCES within minutes of the crash approximately 50 yards from the home in bushes on another property. GARCES was taken into custody without incident or injury.
Through the subsequent investigation, including interviewing numerous witnesses, officers determined that GARCES was seen operating the vehicle before the initial call and that he was the only occupant of the vehicle.
The Belmont and Lexington Police Departments assisted in the search, as did the Mass State Police and Medford Police K-9 units. No other suspects were located.
Two adults and two children were in the house at the time of the crash and did not report any injuries. The home sustained no damage as a result of the crash.
GARCES is expected to be arraigned in Cambridge District Court on Wednesday.
These are allegations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty.
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