After getting pulled over on Wednesday afternoon in Ware, a Connecticut man allegedly “accelerated at a high rate of speed” during the traffic stop when the Massachusetts state trooper discovered he had warrants out for his arrest and was attempting to remove him from his car.

The man’s Nissan Altima dragged the trooper about 30 feet, state police said in a release, before he stopped and the trooper fell. The suspect then continued to flee on Route 32 toward Palmer, according to police.

Troopers issued a statewide “be on the lookout” (BOLO) for the suspect — Joseph Hurlburt, 24, of Enfield — and around 2 a.m. Thursday, Ware police reportedly arrested him on the active warrants, along with additional charges from their department.

Trooper Dragged During Motor Vehicle Stop Yesterday, Suspect Arrested Today https://t.co/Ty5IAizOUy via @MassStatePolice — Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) February 21, 2020


The initial incident reportedly happened around 4 p.m. when the trooper pulled Hurlburt over for a license plate violation while he was driving on Route 32 southbound. Police said the trooper was not injured.

Hurlburt is facing the following offenses: negligent operation of a motor vehicle, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, failure to stop for police, resisting arrest, interfering with a police officer, a number plate violation, and a marked lanes violation.