QUINCY, Mass. — A Taunton man was held without bail on Monday, accused of violently ramming a Mercedes Benz into police cruisers in Weymouth, leading police on a dangerous chase, and then spitting on officers over the weekend.
DJeff Josa, 29, repeatedly bobbed his head up and down, jerked his head from side to side, smirked and at times appeared to be dancing while a prosecutor outlined the numerous charges against him during his arraignment in Quincy District Court.
A judge ordered Josa held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing on Thursday. He pleaded not guilty to numerous charges, including five counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of assault and battery dangerous weapon, three counts of malicious damage to a motor vehicle, and one count each of resisting arrest, failure to stop for police, reckless driving, leaving the scene of property damage, marked lanes violation, and disorderly conduct.
Surveillance video captured the chaotic scene that had officers dodging the Mercedes for their safety and drawing their service weapons outside businesses on Broad Street on Sunday.
At 4:30 p.m. Sunday, police received a 911 call reporting a man jumping around, singing to himself and acting very strange at the Lincoln Square laundromat at 69 Broad St.
When officers arrived, they found the man, later identified as Josa, acting erratically. A bystander told police that Josa “was yelling profanities, hitting the machines and acting very erratic,” police said in their report.
Officers asked Josa to speak with them outside, and Josa “seemed very agitated due to the fact that he was talking very fast, slightly argumentative and sweating profusely,” police said.
Josa lunged at one officer and then began to walk away, and began “yelling at the top of his lungs displaying tumultuous behavior that served no purpose,” police said.
Concerned for his well being, police said they called an ambulance for an evaluation.
Then, Josa got into a gray 2019 Mercedes-Benz.
Ignoring officers’ orders to get out of the Mercedes, Josa “put the car in reverse, cut the wheel to the right and backed up,” nearly striking one officer, who dodged the Mercedes, police said.
Josa stepped on the gas, accelerated in reverse, and struck one police cruiser.
Ignoring police commands to stop, Josa pulled forward about 10 yards, again put the Mercedes in reverse and, “at a high rate of speed,” he “violently” struck the same police cruiser a second time, and then a third time, police said.
“Djeff was intentionally trying to harm the officers that were present,” police said. “Djeff’s weapon of choice in this incident was his motor vehicle.”
“At this point it was evident that Djeff met the deadly force threshold and was actively trying to harm officers with his vehicle,” police said.
Officers, with their service weapons drawn, “continually” ordered him to get out of the Mercedes. He pulled forward and faced all officers at the scene, and “officers got out of the way seeking cover from the vehicle while ordering him to stop the vehicle,” police said.
Josa struck another police cruiser and then drove over a curb and onto Washington Street, and police pursued him.
Josa “failed to maintain lanes, swerving into oncoming traffic,” police wrote. “It was very evident that Djeff had every intention to drive recklessly and have complete disregard for anyone’s safety.”
The Mercedes traveled onto Route 3 southbound for about 200 yards before spinning out and crashing into the tree line, police said.
While trying to arrest him, Josa “began to thrash around violently” and also spit on multiple officers, police said.
An ambulance arrived to take Josa to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
He “became so violent towards responders” that an officer and two firefighters had to remain in the back of the ambulance for transport, police said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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