In a terse statement rolled out by the Holyoke Police Department on Facebook, Chief Brian Keenan disclosed the arrest of Kirk Boulier, a 35-year-old from Holyoke, following his involvement in a domestic assault and subsequent kidnapping, which culminated in a high-speed chase through several towns on Tuesday.
The pursuit began shortly before 1 p.m. when Holyoke Police Officer Edward Guerrero, responding to a call at 2291 Northampton Street, encountered Boulier assaulting a woman inside a vehicle, the situation escalating as Boulier hit the gas upon the officer's arrival and set off a pursuit that threaded through Holyoke, Southampton, and Easthampton, running red lights and driving with a heedlessness that only the urgency of escape can inspire. Boulier's bid for freedom was stymied by traffic near 373 Main Street, Easthampton, where he abandoned the vehicle and attempted to continue his flight on foot but was apprehended nearby at 369 Main Street.
According to the department's social media post, the unidentified female victim was acquainted with Boulier and was transported to a local hospital to assess her condition following the ordeal. Adding to the scandal, it was revealed that the vehicle driven by Boulier was listed as stolen from Connecticut, and the plates had been tampered with in an attempt to conceal its identity.
Boulier is now facing a litany of charges, from "Assault & Battery – Family/Household Member" to "Kidnapping," with additional counts for flouting traffic laws, resisting arrest, and vehicle-related offenses; moreover, as detailed in the police report, the implications of such actions—considering the suspended or revoked state of his driver's license, the allegations of violence, and the reckless endangerment of public safety—paint a troubling picture of the entire episode.
