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On Friday, May 10, at approximately 8:10PM, the Massachusetts State Police Air Wing was patrolling the skies in the Holyoke area. Aboard MSP Air 2, Trooper Mark Giromini and Sergeant Eric Fairchild, overheard that an MSP cruiser had been struck while conducting a traffic stop. The vehicle that had been stopped for violations, without warning, reversed into the Trooper's cruiser and fled the area. The vehicle was quickly located abandoned near Saint Kolbe Drive in Holyoke.
The crew of Air 2 began a survey of the area surrounding Saint Kolbe Drive and located a person ducking behind a wall along the bank of the Connecticut River. Utilizing the aircraft's forward looking infrared camera, Air 2 directed Holyoke officers and MSP Troopers to the person along the river bank.
It was soon evident, the man was suffering from an injury and he began struggling in the water of the river. MSP and Holyoke officers deployed their water rescue throw-bags to help keep the man above water long enough to lower a life vest. Now in the water for some time, the man began to show signs of hypothermia. With the man close to going under, more than a dozen Holyoke Officers and MSP Troopers formed a chain to hoist the injured man to safety. The man, determined to be the suspect who fled the initial traffic stop, was rushed to a local hospital for treatment.