A Salem Police Officer, engaged in a narcotics investigation, was struck by a motor vehicle last Thursday evening, according to an official announcement on the Salem Police Department's Facebook page. The incident, which occurred around 8:30 p.m. near 12 Pope Street, escalated when the suspect maneuvered the car onto the sidewalk, hitting the officer and forcing a second to evade the vehicle to avoid injury.
The Salem Police Department's Facebook post detailed that the officer, after being thrown onto the car hood and subsequently to the ground, was hospitalized but released the following morning. While the full scope of the injuries is still to be assessed by medical experts, an arrest warrant was promptly issued for Lucas David Fulcar-Bautista, the alleged perpetrator. Fulcar-Bautista, 33, of Coventry, Rhode Island, faced a coordinated multi-state manhunt by the Salem Police and allied law enforcement agencies.
Yesterday, Fulcar-Bautista was captured in Lawrence, Massachusetts and faced arraignment on various charges, including Fentanyl trafficking, negligent vehicle operation, and assault, among others. The Salem Police Department publicly acknowledged the aid from the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, the U.S. Marshals Service, and several local departments in the diligent effort to apprehend the suspect.
Police Chief Lucas Miller conveyed his gratitude towards the community for its overwhelming support, "I want to sincerely thank the people of Salem for the support and concern for our injured officer that flooded the department through calls, emails, and other messages," as noted by the Salem Police Department.
