NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Fire Department and hazardous materials team are investigating a medical incident at Spectrum Health Systems.

 

Police Sgt. Albert Zoito said a report had been received around 11 on Thursday morning that one of the Spectrum employees had fallen ill after coming in contact with "something that someone brought in."

 

"A nurse that worked here was subjected to something that someone brought in and she is now feeling ill," he said. "She came in contact with something that was making her feel ill, apparently, and reported that came in from somebody." 

 

Fire Chief Stephen Meranti said the woman received medical attention, the facility has been evacuated and the HAZMAT Technical Operations Module was called. The facility is an opioid treatment center that offers a range of services including methadone.

 

"We have evacuated the building … and we have hazmat here looking into the situation," he said. "There is no one else in the building, there are not other symptoms, and it seems to be an isolated  incident."

 

Meranti said hazmat was surveying the building to rule out that any conditions within the building caused the illness such as a carbon monoxide leak or an oxygen deficiency. 

 

He added that it could also be an individual medical condition separate from any issue within the building and although they were leaning toward this scenario, they will not know for sure until hazmat have finished their sweep and they have heard back from the emergency room.

 

Update at 5 p.m.: "Really nothing has changed," Meranti said. "They cleared the building and at this point, the police are still following up on it and questioning the patient but it appears to be a medical condition."

ADAMS, Mass. — Emergency responders in Adams and North Adams dealt with two motor vehicle accidents on Tuesday afternoon. 

 

The first occurred about 4 p.m. in front of the McDonald's restaurant in Adams and involved three motor vehicles headed north on Commercial Street leading up to the light. 

 

The vehicles were a gray Ford 150 extend cab, a dark blue Chevrolet Traverse sport utility vehicle and a gray Jeep Renegade sedan, in that order. 

 

The truck incurred damage to its front end, knocking off the front bumper; the SUV's rear hatch was dented in and it received minor damage to its front end; the Jeep's rear bumper and hatchback was damaged. Two people were taken from the scene by ambulance, including the driver of the SUV whom firefighters and EMTs took some time to remove from the vehicle. 

 

The truck was towed by Al's Service Center and the SUV by Dean's Repair Shop. Police, firefighters, Adams Ambulance and North Berkshire EMS responded to the scene. Traffic was diverted for nearly an hour with north bound vehicles detoured through the Hoosac Valley Elementary School driveway to Liberty Street. 

 

In North Adams, a van and a coupe collided on Ashland Street in front of Pizza Works at about 4:43 p.m. The blue Dodge van appeared to be exiting the pizzeria parking lot and the Chevrolet Cavalier was southbound. Both vehicles incurred significant front-end damage to no appeared to be injured. 

 

The van was towed by Cariddi Auto and the Chevy by Mohawk Auto Wrecking. City police and firefighters along with North Berkshire EMS responded to the scene. Traffic was diverted between Blackinton Avenue and Davenport Street for about 40 minutes. 

 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The two men who led authorities on a manhunt on Tuesday are facing a number of charges.

 

Police say Arnold Chapman and Shannon Brown were arrested after leading police on a lengthy chase spanning from North Adams to Pittsfield. The incident started when the two allegedly attempted to return some $2,000 worth of stolen merchandise to the North Adams Walmart. They fled in a black pickup truck with Florida plates as North Adams Police were responding to the store.

 

The suspects fled shortly after 2:15 p.m. as police from North Adams, Adams, and Cheshire chased the vehicle. The drivers then cut over the Connector Road in Lanesborough to Route 7, where the Massachusetts State Police and Pittsfield Police joined the search to find the suspects. 

 

The vehicle was abandoned on West Housatonic Street, in a parking lot across from the Lebanon Avenue intersection. The two men then got a taxi from there to the Enterprise car-rental service on East Street. A trooper responded there and Brown allegedly assaulted her, broke free, and ran toward Cove street, and then onto Root Place. 

 

State and Pittsfield Police and deputies from the sheriff's department launched a wide-spanning manhunt for the suspects around the Elm Street and East Street areas. The search included K9 units and a police helicopter. 

 

At about 4:30 p.m., officers found and arrested Brown on Root Place. Brown allegedly gave the name of "Alstin Guice" and had a Florida driver's license in that name but troopers were later able to identify him as Brown through fingerprinting.

 

The 33-year-old Brown, from Tampa, Fla., had $4,210 in cash on hand. He was charged with assault and battery on a police officer, providing a false name to police, and as a fugitive from justice. 

 

Police also say Brown was the subject of a warrant in Phoenix, Ariz., for charges of fraudulent schemes, artifices, and theft. Authorities in Arizona intend to ask for his rendition to face those charges.

 

Chapman was later found in the same area suffering from hypothermia and shock after allegedly going into the Housatonic River while running from police. He was transported to Berkshire Medical Center and is still being treated as of Wednesday afternoon.

 

Pittsfield Police say the two suspects were involved in similar scams at the Walmart in Pittsfield, for $3,700, and in Hadley, for $2,600. 

 

Chapman also had a warrant in the state of Florida on charges of fleeing law enforcement at a high rate of speed, habitual traffic offender, and leaving the scene of property damage. Locally he will be facing a single count of larceny by false pretense, over $1,200, and additional charges may be forthcoming.

 

Original Post: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at 5:46 p.m.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A high-speed chase and manhunt throughout the county tied up local law enforcement for hours on Tuesday.

 

Pittsfield Police and State Police confirmed they were helping search for two men wanted by North Adams Police but opted to withhold comment until they had more information.

 

North Adams Police were still investigating the situation when asked for comment and said information may not be available for hours.

 

According to the scanner reports, however, state and local police were chasing two men in a black pickup truck with Florida plates southbound on Route 8 from North Adams shortly after 1 in the afternoon. The men reportedly fled after an incident from the Super Walmart in North Adams, although that could not be confirmed.

 

The men evaded authorities all the way to West Housatonic Street in Pittsfield, where they then ditched the truck.

 

The pair then allegedly caught a cab and went back to the center of Pittsfield. Officers tracked the suspects onto Root Place and a manhunt ensued throughout a large portion of the Elm Street area. The State Police brought in the airwing to search for the men and Pittsfield Police had a K9 unit.

 

The search continued throughout the day. Both men appear to have apprehended but authorities have not yet confirmed that fact. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Two women were struck by a small pickup truck while crossing Ashland Street late Friday morning.

 

Sgt. Albert Zoito said the two women were crossing the road between Quincy and Summer streets when they were hit by a gray southbound Toyota Tacoma with a Vermont plate at about 11:40 a.m. 

"The condition of one is serious but not believed to be life-threatening at this time," he said. "The other is not life-threatening."

 

Both women, one with what Zoito described as a serious head injury, were taken from the scene by ambulance. Neither the pedestrians nor the driver of the pickup have yet been identified and, so far, no one has been cited in the accident. There are crosswalks at Quincy and Summer but not where the women were walking.

 

"Two people were hit by a vehicle while attempting to cross," Zoito said. "It is under investigation."

 

The Fire Department also responded and traffic was detoured for about a half-hour.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Firefighters responded to a stove fire at 133 Reed St. on Monday afternoon. 

 

The appliance was quickly removed from the house and the area ventilated. The A shift was initially called in to cover the station but the scene was cleared fairly quickly. 

 

The call came in at about 3:30 p.m. Two trucks, police and Northern Berkshire EMS responded to the scene. Reed Street is located near the top of Gallup Street.