Westbound Lanes to Remain Closed

Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant is working on Route 44 to remove several downed telephone poles with live wires. (Courtesy Photo Raynham Police Department)

The westbound lanes of Route 44 will remain closed for the next 10-12 hours. (Courtesy Photo Raynham Police Department)

RAYNHAM — Chief James Donovan reports that crews are on scene at Route 44 working to remove downed telephone poles and exposed live wires.

Earlier today, Raynham Police and Fire responded to Route 44 at Route 24 after heavy winds caused several telephone poles to fall.

Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant hopes to clear the eastbound lanes of debris so travel can resume.

The westbound lanes, from Paramount Drive, over Route 24 to South Street West, will remain closed for the next 10-12 hours.

All ramps from Route 24 leading to Route 44 are closed. Motorists should seek alternate routes.

“This storm is far from over and we are urging residents to stay off the roads,” Chief Donovan said. “We’re thankful that despite this significant damage, no one has been injured.”

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Raynham Police Department
Chief James Donovan
53 Orchard St.,
Raynham, MA 02767

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Raynham Police to Charge to Woman Who Led Officers on Chase

Woman Sideswiped Two Raynham Police Cruisers on Route 24

RAYNHAM — Chief James Donovan reports that the Raynham Police Department will charge a woman with multiple offenses after she allegedly led officers on a chase through town and onto Route 24 Monday night.

SAMANTHA COSTA, AGE 32, OF MARSHFIELD will be charged with:

Failure to Stop for Police
Reckless Operation of a Motor Vehicle
Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign
Assault and Battery by Means of a Dangerous Weapon (Motor Vehicle) (Two Counts)
Marked Lanes Violation

At approximately 8:45 p.m., Monday, Jan. 8, Raynham Police received a notification from the Bridgewater Police Department to be on the lookout for a woman, later identified as COSTA, driving a white pickup truck. COSTA was wanted for multiple offenses in Marshfield stemming from an incident earlier in the day.

A short time later, a Raynham Police officer observed COSTA’S vehicle on Pleasant Street as she passed him driving approximately 60 m.p.h.

The officer initiated a pursuit and followed COSTA as she swerved around a vehicle and turned onto Orchard Street. She continued down Orchard Street and turned onto Route 44 and took the nearby on-ramp onto Route 24 South.

With more officers now involved in the pursuit, COSTA sideswiped two Raynham Police cruisers on Route 24. The officers were uninjured, but the cruisers sustained scrapes and each had side mirrors broken off.

COSTA got off the highway onto Route 140. She drove through multiple communities and officers from those towns deployed tire deflation devices in attempt to get her to stop.

The pursuit was terminated when she drove through a red light in Fairhaven.

Later Monday night, she was located by Mattapoisett Police and subsequently placed her under arrest without further incident.

These are allegations. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.

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Update Crews Working to Repair Damage on Route 44 in Raynham

Update Crews Working to Repair Damage on Route 44 in Raynham

Westbound Lanes to Remain Closed