WFXT's SKyFox news helicopter is credited with helping police catch a man who led them on a high speed car chase through several towns.
Police said the driver was Michael Leblanc, 28, of Abington. He is being held for investigation on several charges, including attempted murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
The chase began shortly after 10am in Walpole on Washington Street near a dam by the Walpole Country Club, said police. Officer Matt Crown went to look at a car that was off a dirt road near the dam. Police said that when the officer went up to the car and asked for license and registration, the suspect then suddenly rolled up his windows, pinning Crown.
The suspect sped off, dragging the officer for about 100 yards at about 30 mph until he was able to free himself. This incident sparked the multi-town pursuit.
SkyFox photographer Frank Egan had a bird's-eye view of the chase, and what he saw, didn't look good.
"That guy was driving like an animal. He was doing things with that little Toyota that I never thought was possible," Egan told FOX 25 news anchor Elizabeth Hopkins.
"As soon as we got on the chase, I was able to advise Frank, my photographer, and I guess as the saying goes, ‘The chase was on from there,’” said SkyFox pilot David Hyde to Hopkins.
Court documents show that at one point police lost sight of the suspect's vehicle and were about to end the pursuit.
"We briefly lost sight of the suspect vehicle and were about to end the pursuit when dispatch notified us that a FOX news helicopter had the vehicle in sight..." the document said.
"With the help of the FOX helicopter, we were able to ascertain that the suspect vehicle was still travelling on 95 south, had struck a guard rail, and was spinning out of control... Using the helicopters as a reference point, we were eventually able to find the area where the suspect had jumped from the vehicle and began to flee on foot."
Officers talking on the radio transmissions mentioned how FOX 25's helicopter was still tracking the suspect's vehicle and that it was on TV.
"Walpole units, we have SkyFox over it. He's slowing up for traffic now" one officer said over the radio transmission. "It's on FOX 25 - their helicopter's got it" said another.
SkyFox captured the suspect crawling under a fence and approaching the apartment complex where he was eventually captured.
Walpole Police told FOX 25 that the live feed from SkyFox, which was live on-air and streaming online, helped officers follow the suspect, while keeping a safe distance.
You can watch part of the chase, and a report on the story from FOX 25 below.
