Police said the driver held a pregnant woman hostage, struck eight vehicles and tried to escape on foot after crashing.
MILTON, MA — Massachusetts State Police arrested an armed driver Wednesday after authorities said he held a pregnant woman hostage while leading troopers on a rush-hour pursuit that ended after his SUV struck eight vehicles on Interstate 93.
Troopers began pursuing the vehicle around 7:20 a.m. Aug. 12 after investigators identified an SUV connected to what State Police described as a suspected hostage-by-firearm situation. Police found the vehicle near Exit 9 on the northbound Southeast Expressway and followed it as the driver moved through heavy morning traffic toward Milton.
During the pursuit, the SUV crashed into eight vehicles, according to State Police. Video from the highway showed the vehicle weaving through congested traffic as several police cruisers followed. The SUV eventually stopped near Exit 11, where authorities said the driver got out and tried to flee on foot.
Troopers caught the driver after the crash and provided medical care to the woman, who police said was pregnant. Authorities also recovered a firearm from inside the suspect vehicle. Officials had not released an update on the woman’s condition as of Wednesday afternoon, and information about possible injuries to people in the other vehicles was not immediately available.
The driver’s name had not been publicly released. State Police said he was expected to face several charges and be arraigned in Quincy District Court. Authorities had not announced the specific charges by Wednesday afternoon, and the allegations against the driver had not been tested in court.
The incident caused major traffic problems on the northbound expressway during the morning commute. More than a half-dozen police cruisers were seen gathered around the crash scene, and the damaged SUV remained on the highway while officers worked in the area. Traffic backed up for miles after the pursuit ended.
State Police spokesperson Sgt. Gregory Jones said the suspect vehicle struck eight vehicles before the driver attempted to run near Exit 11. Jones said troopers apprehended the suspect, helped arrange medical care for the pregnant woman and recovered a firearm from the vehicle.
Kristen Eck, a traffic reporter for WBZ NewsRadio 1030, recorded part of the pursuit using a traffic camera and described the scene as unusually intense. She told CBS Boston that in nearly three decades of covering traffic, she had not seen anything similar at such close range. Her video captured the SUV moving through packed lanes while police followed.
The circumstances that led to the suspected hostage situation remained under investigation Wednesday afternoon. Authorities had not publicly explained the relationship, if any, between the driver and the woman or disclosed where the alleged hostage situation began.
The investigation is being handled with involvement from the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office. The suspect remained in custody pending court proceedings, while police continued working to determine the circumstances leading up to the pursuit and crashes.
Author note: Last updated August 12, 2026.