Police: Man slams into reverse at a traffic stop, drags officer, crashes into a tree, is nabbed with a loaded gun, oxycodone

Boston Police report arresting a Roxbury man on various charges, including attempted murder, after they say he refused to stick around for a traffic stop on Regent Street early Thursday.

Police say officers on patrol on Moreland Street spotted a car with a broken tail light and then discovered the car had an expired inspection sticker. They turned on their blue lights and sirens, but Tarique Hokett Richardson, 24, continued onto Regent Street, where he pulled into a driveway at 57 Regent St., at which point officers got out and explained why they had followed him, only he began to argue with them, police say.

At this time, officers ordered the operator out of the vehicle as he was being taken into custody for failing to stop for police. The male in turn refused to comply with the officers’ commands and reached down to the shifter in an attempt to put the vehicle into reverse. The operator raised his left arm to deflect the officer at the door from preventing the operator from fleeing the scene. The operator was able to shift the vehicle into the neutral position, revving the engine loudly in the process. The officer attempted to reach into the vehicle to place it into park in order to affect the arrest of the operator who continued using his left arm and body to shield the shifter. The operator successfully shifted the vehicle into reverse and immediately accelerated as the officer was trapped between the car door and the frame of the vehicle with the operator continuing to deflect the officer from stopping the vehicle or escaping to a place of safety. The operator eventually crashed into the front end of the officers’ cruiser, dragging the officer who was stuck within the car door, for several feet. The operator pinned the officer between his vehicle and the parked police cruiser.

Police say Richardson, still going in reverse, smashed into several cars, then crashed into a tree, where officers were able to arrest him, but only after a struggle. A search of his car revealed "a Springfield Armory Model XD-40 loaded with twelve rounds of live ammunition" as well as a small bottle containing "fifty-one white pills believed to be Oxycodone," police say.

Richardson was charged with assault with intent to murder or maim, unlawful possession of a firearm, second offense, unlawful possession of a loaded firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, unlawful possession of a large-capacity feeding device, failure to stop for police, failure to identify to police, leaving the scene of a crash causing personal injury, leaving the scene of a crash causing property damage, reckless driving and possession of Class B drugs with intent to distribute, police say.

Innocent, etc.