LAWRENCE — A city man faces multiple assault and motor vehicle charges after a fight that turned into a confrontation with police officers.
Officers were sent to Lawrence and Fitz streets at 9:11 p.m. Sunday for a report of a man hit on the head with a wrench.
When Officer Ivan Resto arrived first on the scene, he met the victim's wife. As they walked across the street to help the injured man, a black car came toward Resto and the woman. Resto pushed her out of the way before the car stopped in the street.
The driver, later identified as Alan Vega, 27, of 2 Saunders St., took off when Resto approached the car. After a chase through several streets, the driver lost control and wound up on the sidewalk on the Short Street bridge, after colliding with Resto's cruiser, police said.
Officers William Green, Chris Bussey, William Olivieri and John Tully fought with the man to take him away from the car because it was smoking heavily, police said.
Vega kicked the officers with his boots and threw punches, police said. He was taken to the ground and handcuffed before being taken by ambulance to Lawrence General Hospital for treatment of a cut to his head and a broken finger.
Vega was charged with possession of a dangerous weapon when arrested on charges of breach of peace, reckless operation of a vehicle, failure to stay in marked lanes, failure to stop at a stop sign, driving without lights at night, driving after revocation of his license, failure to signal a turn, speeding, disorderly conduct, assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts, and assault and battery on a police officer.
Resto suffered a knee injury and a back strain.
