SWANSEA

Fall River man faces charges after eluding police

Swansea police have obtained an arrest warrant charging a Fall River man with possession of a stolen car and other violations after the suspect allegedly eluded police by abandoning the car and escaping into a wooded area on Wednesday, despite a search lasting two hours.

Officer Patrick Mooney reported in a news release that he saw a car fail to halt at a stop sign at Ocean View and Pinehurst Avenues in the Ocean Grove section. He entered the plate into his laptop computer and discovered that the vehicle was stolen from Fall River earlier in the day.

Mooney tailed the car until he confirmed that the vehicle had been stolen. He said the operator tried to elude the officer by turning down several side streets, eventually halting on Church Street near the Gardner School.

The driver got out and ran off, Mooney said, adding that he recognized the operator as Christopher White, 48, and gave chase through several backyards and the wooded area between Church Street and Gardners Neck Road.

State troopers and officers from Somerset assisted in the search. A state police K-9 was called in.

Swansea police said that they discovered a small amount of crack cocaine in the vehicle.

The warrant charges White, whose last known address was 563 Osborn St., Fall River, with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, failing to stop for police, possession of a controlled substance and operating with a revoked license.

Thomas J. Morgan