Police Officer Injured in Car Chase Following Robbery
Photo courtesy Boston Herald.
Police Arrest 2 in Armed Bank Robbery
Story Updated 2:15PM, Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Snag pictures of the crash? Email news@insidemedford.com
– Allison Goldsberry
An armed bank robbery in Medford on Tuesday afternoon resulted in two arrests and a car chase that left one Medford police officer injured.
Police say Joseph Centola, 27, of Everett (pictured at right), and Joshua Walsh, 21, of Quincy, entered East Cambridge Savings Bank on Salem Street shortly after noontime on Tuesday wearing masks. They allegedly passed a note to a teller demanding money and no dye pack, implied a weapon, and fled the scene in a stolen blue Jeep Cherokee and $,1991 in cash.
An alert witness provided police with a description of the car and its license plate number. Within minutes, Detective Stephen LeBert, responding from a paid detail, saw the Jeep traveling east on Riverside Avenue. Det. LeBert attempted to pull over the vehicle by flashing the blue lights of his unmarked cruiser, but Centola kept going and stepped on the gas. According to police, a brief chase ensued and Det. LeBert and the Jeep ended up back on Riverside Avenue traveling in the opposite direction.
Another Medford officer was responding to the scene in a marked cruiser, now traveling east on Riverside Avenue while Det. LeBert and the Jeep were traveling west. Centola lost control of the Jeep and ended up crossing the center line of Riverside Avenue and colliding with the marked police cruiser. Police have not released the name of the officer and he was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Medford Police Lieutenant Paul Covino said the officer was conscious and alert after the crash and appeared to at least have a serious hand injury.
The crash took place on Riverside Avenue just before the Route 93 bridge, right in front of resident Gino Ventresca’s front yard.
Ventresca told Fox25 news he had just returned with the mail when he heard a loud crash. He opened the door and saw the front end of the Jeep come to a rest right at his brick fence.
Witnesses also told Fox speeds appeared to reach upwards of 60 miles per hour during the chase.
State Police also assisted Medford with the chase with the launch of their Airwing helicopter, pictured at left in a photo taken by Medford resident Paul Rapatano.
According to Middlesex County District Attorney Gerry Leone, Centola and Walsh were arraigned on several charges on Wednesday morning in Somerville District Court. Both were charged with armed and masked robbery, use of a motor vehicle without authority, larceny of a motor vehicle, and receiving a stolen motor vehicle (subsequent offense). Centola was additionally charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license, failure to stop for police, and use of a motor vehicle in connection with the commission of a felony.
Both Centola and Walsh are being held in custody pending a dangerousness hearing on February 17.
According to police, the stolen money and two knives were recovered from the Jeep at the scene.
The incident is still under investigation. Police say the Jeep was stolen less than an hour before the robbery occurred.