Teen driver held in rampage on Carver campus

After a chase, George Cowen surrendered to police at his home.

CARVER - The teenager who police say went on a rampage with his mother's car at Carver High School, barely missing students and parents as he careered across school grounds, told police he was mad at the school for treating him poorly and putting him in "dummy classes."

After leading authorities on a high-speed chase through town, George Cowen surrendered to police at his home, expressed remorse, and asked for treatment for bipolar disorder and other mental health issues, according to court records. He was taken to Jordan Hospital in Plymouth for psychiatric evaluation.

The incident, which the teen told police also stemmed from his being transferred to an alternative school, sent some 600 students, parents, and coaches scurrying to get out of the car's path Tuesday evening. Cowen allegedly roared onto the school's athletic fields, aiming the car at individuals and spinning it in circles.

Many witnesses said they were surprised that no one was hurt or killed. They said that the driver was going so fast the car went airborne at one point and that it barely missed a father pushing his 7-month-old son in a stroller.

"It was reckless and incredibly dangerous," Keryann DiAntonio of Carver told police. She had been watching her 12-year-old daughter's softball game when the car was driven into the outfield.

"All the kids were traumatized, and it was just a miracle no one was hurt or killed."

Cowen, who was arrested at home, told police he never intended to hurt anyone. Police said they found a 16-inch knife in the car.

The 17-year-old faces a number of charges, including assault with a dangerous weapon, destruction of property, and driving without a license. Cowen was kept at the hospital under police guard before being released on $500 bail. He did not appear at his arraignment yesterday, and a warrant for his arrest was issued. It was unclear yesterday whether he was still under medical surveillance.

Superintendent Elizabeth Sorrell of the Carver school system said Cowen was placed in a program for students with behavioral and learning problems two years ago. A short time later, after a favorite teacher left, he was transferred to Southeast Alternative School in Middleborough, where administrators thought he might do better. He subsequently dropped out of that school, Sorrell said.

"There are students and kids in great need that we don't know about, and when they have a crisis, the public is a victim of that crisis," Sorrell said. "This is a very violent cry for help. And I hope he gets the help he needs."

Cowen's parents did not respond to requests for comment yesterday. The state Department of Social Services had opened a case on the Cowen home in 2006, but a spokesman for the agency would not elaborate, saying the case is now closed.

Cowen's parents told police that their son was supposed to go to a driver's education class at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, but that he did not want to go and argued with them. His mother said he went to a friend's house, then returned a short while later and went to his room. Soon after that, she said, she saw him drive off in her car.

Witnesses at the school, about 4 miles from Cowen's home, said the driver aimed the car at people in the parking lot and drove at them at high speed, making obscene gestures at anyone who yelled to stop. The driver then sped onto the softball fields, where two games were being played, court records say. Coaches rushed their players behind a fence, and parents used cellphones to call 911. One teenager captured some of the scene on video and turned it over to police.

"Everybody was frozen," said Linda Armanetti. "We couldn't believe what we were seeing. I just said thank God. It was a miracle no one was hurt."

Police arrived as the car left the school parking lot. One officer said Cowen looked at him and laughed. Officers who chased the car down Center Street to Main Street said Cowen was driving up to 80 miles per hour. Police said they gave up the pursuit after seeing Cowen run stop signs and weave in between cars and into oncoming traffic. They followed him to his home, where his mother came out.

Cowen got on the ground on police orders. He apologized to his parents and asked for a mental health evaluation. He said he had not been taking his medications.

In his bedroom, his parents found a note he had written just before he took the car.

"How I see it, it isn't worth being around anymore, for me or you," the note said. "I'm taking the car, report it stolen or something. Doesn't matter where I'm going."