Haverhill man dies in police pursuit

Car was stolen, authorities say

A Haverhill man being pursued by police was killed in a crash in Woburn on Wednesday night, State Police said.

Aaron Davis, 38, was pronounced dead from his injuries at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, said David Procopio, State Police spokesman.

A passenger in the car, Christopher Smith-Harrell, 22, also of Haverhill, survived and was arrested, police said. He was charged with receiving a motor vehicle. He refused medical treatment at the scene.

Smith-Harrell was arraigned and pleaded not guilty yesterday afternoon in Lawrence District Court, according to a spokesman for Essex District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett. Smith-Harrell is scheduled to return to court on Dec. 3 for a pretrial hearing, spokesman Stephen O'Connell said.

Smith- Harrell was released on pretrial probation on the following conditions: that he have no contact with the car's owner, comply with group home rules and a treatment plan, take medications as prescribed, and remain alcohol-free, O'Connell said.

State Police received a call at about 8:15 p.m. Wednesday that a silver Subaru Baja was driving erratically on Interstate 495 south and later on Interstate 93 south. The caller reported that the car was crossing into different lanes, nearly striking other vehicles, Procopio said.

After a state trooper saw the Subaru crossing onto the median strip and almost heading into oncoming traffic, he attempted to pull over the driver, Procopio said.

The driver pulled over into the breakdown lane. The trooper ran the license plate and determined that the vehicle had been reported stolen in Haverhill, according to Procopio.

As the trooper left his cruiser and walked toward the Subaru, the driver got out and started toward the cruiser, State Police said. The trooper ordered him back into the vehicle as a safety precaution.

Davis then fled at "a high rate of speed down 93 south," Procopio said. The trooper tried to catch up and in Wilmington saw a car about a half-mile ahead that he thought was the suspect, State Police said.

When the Subaru turned onto an offramp at Commerce Way in Woburn, the trooper lost sight of the car, took the same ramp, and saw debris where the car had crashed into a barrier, according to Procopio.

Smith-Harrell was in the passenger seat, but the driver's seat was empty, State Police said.

Police then found Davis on an embankment off the ramp, Procopio said, adding that Davis apparently was thrown from the vehicle.

Brian House, 62, the Haverhill resident who reported his car stolen from his taxi and auto dealership on White Street in Haverhill, said that at first he did not believe his car had been taken. "I initially thought it was a prank by one of my employees - like a little pre-Halloween prank," House said.