A Gloucester man who knew he was wanted on several warrants led police, who didn't, on a high-speed chase from Lynnfield to Manchester over the weekend.
Kevin Simone, 41, of 9 Norman Ave. in Magnolia, is being held on multiple charges related to the chase at Middleton Jail.
According to police reports, Simone was driving in Lynnfield at 10:07 a.m. Saturday when he spotted the flashing blue lights of a police car in the rearview mirror of the borrowed pickup truck he was driving, according to a police report.
Simone, who has a lengthy criminal record that includes a conviction for vehicular homicide in the 1991 drunken-driving death of a friend in Haverhill, wasn't supposed to be behind the wheel. He assumed that the cop was about to pull him over.
Lynnfield police Officer Stephen Connelly was responding as a back-up on a medical call. When he pulled behind Simone's black 1997 Chevrolet pick-up truck, Simone accelerated, reaching 70 mph in 30 to 35 mph zones.
Connelly then began to pursue Simone as he sped down Route 1 and then north on Route 128 in Peabody. At this time, Lynnfield police contacted the Massachusetts State Police whose troopers joined the pursuit. Police ran the license plate on the truck, which Simone had apparently borrowed from the daughter of a Pelham, N.H., man. Still, they had no idea that it was Simone behind the wheel and that he was wanted on warrants from Lynnfield, Beverly and Saugus on charges of violating a domestic restraining order, and that he had no license.
After reaching speeds of 100 mph, Simone took the School Street exit, off Route 128 and continued toward downtown Manchester.
Simone led a convoy of cruisers — driven by Connelly, a trooper and three Manchester officers — down residential Pleasant Street, Rosedale Avenue, Arbella Street, Lincoln Street, and then onto Summer Street (Route 127), still reaching speeds of 60 mph.
Finally, when boxed in by three police cruisers, Simone stopped, then jumped out of the passenger side of the truck at 383 Summer St.
Simone took off on foot, running through the backyards of 383 and 385 Summer St. He led officers through bushes, woods and tried to climb a 6-foot-high stockade fence, but broke it. Police caught him soon after that.
Connelly, who was running down Summer Street while other officers gave pursuit through the backyards, caught Simone when he re-entered the road in front of 387 Summer St.
Simone, who sustained minor cuts, was brought to Union Hospital in Lynn for examination.
After he was booked at State Police headquarters and the Lynnfield Police Department on charges, Simone was moved to Middleton Jail.
As he was led to a cruiser, Simone complained that he hoped his ex-wife was happy he had been caught.
Police soon discovered the warrants for Simone as well as his record, which includes a 1992 conviction in the drunken-driving death of Wayne Camarato, 23, of Haverhill, a father of three. The two had been with two other friends, drinking beer, before the crash. They were heading to Camarato's home when Simone decided to pass the two other friends in their car, swerved and lost control on a rain-slicked road. The truck hit a curb and a telephone pole and flipped over.
Simone was sentenced to 12 years in prison, but at the time, before the state's truth-in-sentencing law went into effect, he was eligible for parole in 18 months.
Judge Robert Brennan yesterday pointed to that record and the conviction in setting a total of $20,000 cash bail for Simone, who pleaded not guilty to charges of driving to endanger; driving after license revocation as a habitual traffic offender; failing to stop for police; speeding; and resisting arrest, as well as violating a restraining order.
A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Feb. 5.
Material from the archives of The Eagle-Tribune was used in this report. Staff writers Julie Manganis and Robert Cann may be reached at gt_reporter@gloucestertimes.com.
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