Man arrested after police say he threatened city councilor and his campaign staff and rammed cruisers in South Boston

Boston Police report arresting a South Boston man they say walked into at-large City Councilor Michael Flaherty's campaign office on East Broadway around 10:40 a.m. and made "threats towards an elected official and his staff" - while on the lam from a car chase earlier in the morning.

John Donovan, 53, was already wanted on a warrant for "two separate incidents where threats were made towards community members in South Boston on Saturday," police say.

The Herald reports Donovan threatened to kill Flaherty on Saturday.

According to police, a Boston Housing officer who knew about the Saturday incident spotted Donovan driving through South Boston and radioed BPD for help. When Donovan floored it, the police called off the pursuit rather than risk a high-speed crash on a crowded street.

Then, police say, Donovan walked into Flaherty's office at 707 East Broadway and began threatening workers there. Officers responded and found him trying to get into his car parked outside the East Broadway Stop & Shop, next to Flaherty's office:

Officers were dispatched to assist a Boston Housing Police Officer who was travelling behind the suspect who was operating a motor vehicle in the area of at the intersection of Old Colony Avenue and Dorchester Street. ...

When the responding BPD officers attempted to perform a traffic stop, the suspect fled, refusing to stop for the officers. A short time later, officers learned that the suspect was seen exiting a campaign office on East Broadway after making additional threats towards an elected official and his staff. When officers arrived on the scene, they observed the suspect walking towards and entering a parked motor vehicle. When officers approached the suspect’s vehicle from behind, the suspect repeatedly used his vehicle to strike the officer’s cruisers. The officers were eventually able to place the suspect in custody after a lengthy struggle.

Donovan was charged with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a police officer, driving to endanger, willful and malicious destruction of property, leaving the scene of an accident after causing property damage and threats, police say.

Innocent, etc.