Over the past three weeks, police made only two motor vehicle stops, both resulting in verbal warnings, and helped just one driver who was locked out of a vehicle. But disabled vehicles—10 in all—abounded in the holiday season. There were also 16 calls for medical assistance, with four people requiring help only in getting up. Of the other calls, the ambulance squad took 12 people to area hospitals, five with Advanced Life Support services in attendance. Officers issued or renewed two firearms licenses and responded to 10 false burglar alarms.
Tuesday, Dec. 17
At 12:12 a.m. police notified the Department of Public Works that roads were becoming slick. At 10:39 a.m. someone at the General Store called to say a large white pickup had struck a sedan in the parking lot and then driven off. Based on a description and the store surveillance camera, Detective Daniele Fortunato tracked down the pickup and charged Brandon G. Nadeau, 34, of Quincy with leaving the scene of a collision with property damage. At 2:07 p.m. a car struck a guardrail on Mass. Ave. and had to be towed, but no one was injured.
Wednesday, Dec. 18
At 3:47 a.m. a caller reported a truck had gone off the road on Route 2 eastbound, and at 9:31 a.m. there was a collision on Route 495 southbound; the state police and other towns dealt with both crashes.
Thursday, Dec. 19
At 12:11 p.m. a resident came to the police station to report that someone had opened a Bank of America account in her name in another state and then withdrawn $200 from the account’s line of credit; she had closed the account.
Friday, Dec. 20
At 9:45 a.m. an officer served a restraining order from another town on a person employed in Harvard. At 2:45 p.m. on Littleton County Road, the mirror of one car hit the mirror of a car going in the opposite direction; no one was injured. At 5:04 p.m. Ayer police asked Harvard for assistance with a suicidal man who was subsequently taken to a hospital.
Saturday, Dec. 21
Nothing of significance to report.
Sunday, Dec. 22
At 7:34 p.m. a Still River Road resident called to say a family member had threatened to burn down the home of another relative.
Monday, Dec. 23
Nothing of significance to report.
Tuesday, Dec. 24
At 9:30 a.m. a 911 caller reported a tree branch hanging over the road near Sorrento’s on Ayer Road; National Grid and the DPW were informed.
Wednesday, Dec. 25
Peace and good will prevailed.
Thursday, Dec. 26; Friday, Dec. 27; and Saturday, Dec. 28
Nothing of significance to report.
Sunday, Dec. 29
At 1:50 p.m. a 911 caller reported a two-car collision on Route 2 westbound; state police had jurisdiction. At least one car was towed, and the people involved refused ambulance transport.
Monday, Dec. 30
A car struck a tree near the intersection of Fairbank Street and Mass. Ave. at 8:52 a.m. No one was injured, but the vehicle required a tow. At 7:23 p.m. there was a five-car pile-up on Route 2 westbound. The Harvard ambulance squad responded, but no further information is available.
Tuesday, Dec. 31
At 6:45 a.m. a cellphone caller reported a car crash on Route 2 westbound; state police had jurisdiction. At 9:51 a.m. an East Bare Hill Road resident reported a low-hanging power line, and National Grid was informed.
Wednesday, Jan. 1: At 12:40 a.m. and again at 1:15 a.m., police received calls about disturbances—the first near Poor Farm Road and the next on Murray Lane; officers concluded that both were noisy New Year’s celebrations. At 12:43 p.m. a caller from Oak Hill Road told police that utility wires had fallen and were blocking her driveway; National Grid was called.
Thursday, Jan. 2
At 10:26 p.m. a caller reported a disturbance at the railroad track near Depot Road.
Friday, Jan. 3
At 9:24 a.m. Harvard police transported the people who had been arrested at the railroad protest to Clinton District Court.
Saturday, Jan. 4
At 8:50 a.m. a Babbitt Lane resident called to say crews from a foreign television news service were at her house to speak with a family member who was not home, and she wanted them to leave. An officer spoke to them and they left, but police were called back to deal with a second crew about two hours later; again police asked them to leave. At 6:48 p.m. a caller reported that a car had been parked for quite a while at the Prospect Hill Road overlook; police spoke with the driver, and she moved on.
Sunday, Jan. 5
At 5:49 p.m. someone called 911 to report that a car had run into a snowbank near the intersection of Littleton County and Sherry roads; no one was injured, but the car required a tow.
Monday, Jan. 6
At 5:55 a.m. several callers reported a northbound car on Ayer Road had gone off the road and rolled over. Police say the driver had fallen asleep and was trapped in the car. Police and the ambulance squad were able to get her out of the vehicle, and she was taken to UMass Medical Center with serious injuries. At 2:51 p.m. a Trail Ridge Way resident called about an ongoing dispute with a neighbor. At 5:27 p.m. a truck on Ayer Road collided with a car turning left onto Old Mill Road, but no one was injured.
The police log is written by a Harvard Press reporter based on information gleaned from daily police logs and interviews with police staff. Decisions to publish or withhold names of people arrested is based on our need to balance the privacy of individuals with our responsibility to report news of significance and public safety.
