In the dark early hours of a Monday in Lawrence, an episode unfolded that seemed plucked straight from an action-packed police drama, but it was all too real according to Massachusetts State Police News. A State Trooper captured a man wanted in connection with a shooting after the suspect led law enforcement on a high-stakes chase – one that included dragging a Lawrence officer with his vehicle.

The pursuit for Junior Arias Lara, 31, kicked off after he reportedly skirted a traffic stop and fled, an incident which saw a Lawrence officer being dragged a short distance; this set forth a regional call for troopers to be on high alert for the suspect's vehicle—a white Honda. Trooper Connor Hendry of the Andover Barracks, was on duty and not long after, spotted the suspect's car at approximately 3 AM near the interchange of Route 93 and Route 495 southbound quickly activated his blue lights with support from a patrol supervisor, they managed to pull off a felony stop.

Commands were issued, and albeit Arias Lara initially complied by exiting the car, the situation escalated when he made a break for it, heading on foot directly into the treacherous terrain of a nearby swamp. The suspect was not about to surrender easily, as expressed in a state police report, which detailed his resistance and attempts to evade capture, more-than-once reaching into his waistband in a manner that suggested he could be armed.

However, Arias Lara's stamina would be outmatched by the determined Trooper Hendry and his sergeant, who encircled him, repeatedly told him to keep his hands visible, but Arias Lara ostensibly disregarded these directives, this resulted in a physical altercation as the trooper tried to arrest him. Ultimately, "controlling techniques" were applied to subdue the man, who, even downed in the mud, resisted arrest until Hendry, with backup, managed to handcuff him and take him into custody.

Arias Lara was handed over to the Lawrence Police Department, where he faces criminal charges related to the original shooting incident, as well as for the assault on the Lawrence officer during the traffic stop, and for his ensuing conduct resisting arrest by the State Police, he will appear in Lawrence District Court on charges that include failure to stop for police, resisting arrest, and unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.