Feb. 13, 2017
For Immediate Release
Contact: Paul Jarvey (508) 368-7241
WORCESTER — A 47-year-old Worcester man is being held without bail for a dangerousness hearing after being arraigned for allegedly striking an Auburn Police Officer with his SUV as he tried to elude police, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.
Matthew Ostrander of 15 Perry Ave. was arraigned on 17 charges, including assault to murder and firearms offenses, stemming from the Auburn incident on Saturday afternoon, and three charges related to the break-in of a home in Millbury earlier that day.
Central District Court Judge Robert Harbour scheduled a dangerousness hearing for Thursday and set $5,000 bail on the Millbury case.
Assistant District Attorney Julieanne Karcasinas told the court that a woman returned to her Millbury home on Saturday and noticed a strange vehicle in her driveway and then saw a man running from her house.
Millbury Police pursued the vehicle into Auburn where officer Luis Santos placed stop sticks in the area of Washington Street and Route 20 to try to disable the vehicle. The suspect drove around the stop sticks and struck Officer Santos.
The officer remains hospitalized with serious but not life-threatening injuries.
Police found a loaded firearm on the floor of the vehicle. The firearm is believed to have been stolen during a residential house break in Sterling. Additional items believed to have been taken in a house break in Douglas were also found, Ms. Karcasinas said.
Besides assault to murder, Mr. Ostrander is charged with assault and battery causing serious bodily injury, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, receiving stolen property over $250, carrying a loaded firearm without a license, possession of a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without an FID card, improper storage of a firearm, assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, failure to stop for a police officer and motor vehicle charges.
Charges related to the Millbury break-in were: breaking and entering in the daytime to commit a felony, larceny under $250 and malicious destruction of property over $250.