Crime & Safety

Gerbil-Distracted Driver Causes Multi-Car Crash

Notable incidents in Winchester from Sunday to Wednesday, Dec. 16-19.

The following information comes from the Winchester Police Department. When arrests are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.

Gerbil-Distracted Driver Causes Multi-Car Crash

A Winchester man told police that he was being distracted by his gerbil when he rear-ended the car stopped in front of him at about 5 p.m. Wednesday. The collision caused that car to strike the car in front of it, according to police. The gerbil-distracted man was cited for impeded operation, police said.

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Vehicle Strikes Man in Wheelchair at Intersection of Central and Church

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A woman was coming out of Central Street onto Church Street at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday when she hit a man in a wheelchair who was crossing Central.

The woman told police her vehicle was rolling forward at the time of the incident but that the collision knocked the man out of his chair. She said the man said he was fine and continued on after she helped him back in his chair.

She reported the incident to police after it happened.

Rock Reportedly Thrown at Windshield on South Border Road

A Somerville man was driving a 2007 Ford pickup on South Border Road at about 8 a.m. Wednesday when someone threw a rock at his windshield from the woods, he told police. He said he was positive that someone threw the rock and that it was not kicked up from another car. He was near the girl scout parking lot at the time of the incident, he said.

Break-In Reported on Hollywood Road

A Hollywood Road man called police at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday after he noticed that someone had gone through the dressers in his home. He did not immediately notice anything missing.

Two Taken to Hospital After Pond Street Crash

Police responded to Pond Street at about 7:25 p.m. Tuesday for a report of a car into a utility pole.

Once there, police found that a 2001 Buick Century had crashed. The car had heavy front-end damage and the pole was cracking but still standing, according to police.

The female operator told police she did not remember what had happened. She was taken to Lahey Clinic in Burlington with neck and chest pain. Her male passenger was also taken to Lahey Clinic, with chest pain.

Both airbags deployed on the car, police said.

A witness told police that he was driving behind the car on Pond Street, toward Cambridge Street, when it all of a sudden swerved across the oncoming lane and into the pole.

Break-In Reported on Town Way

A Town Way man called police at about 2:45 p.m. Tuesday after someone allegedly broke into his residence. The man told police that a downstairs window had been broken and its screen cut. He said items and clothes were thrown all across the bedrooms in the home. He did not immediately know what was taken.

Vehicle Strikes Bicyclist at Intersection of Holton and Cross

A man was attempting to make a right turn out of Holton Street onto Cross Street at about 5:10 p.m. Monday when he struck a bicyclist crossing Holton.

The driver told police that he had stopped at the stop sign before proceeding with his turn. He said that the bicyclist was wearing all dark clothing, including a dark hooded sweatshirt pulled over his head and black gloves.

The bicyclist, who refused medical treatment, told police that he had dismounted his bike to cross. The driver said he had not.

There was also inclement weather at the time of the incident, according to police.


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