SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Springfield Police has released the mugshot of the man who they accuse of striking an officer with a stolen dirt bike Thursday morning.
Springfield Police Department spokesman Ryan Walsh says 25-year-old Carlos Rivera came weaving through traffic around 9:50 a.m. speeding and doing wheelies and struck the officer with his dirt bike, knocking her down while she was working a road construction detail.
The officer who was struck and bitten was taken to Baystate Medical Center and released Thursday afternoon. She is expected to recover. Her name has not been released.
Rivera is also accused of kicking and punching a second officer who attempted to detain him after he struck the officer. Walsh says Rivera then bit the officer he initially struck when she got up to help.
Walsh said Rivera is currently out on parole after being released from state prison for an armed home invasion. He was arrested and also taken to Baystate Medical Center.
He did not have a license, the stolen dirtbike he was operating was unregistered and uninsured, and he had several marijuana blunts on him, police said.
He is facing the following criminal charges:
- Assault and battery with a dangerous weapon
- Two counts of assault and battery on a police officer
- Resisting arrest
- Receiving a stolen motor vehicle
- Reckless operation of a motor vehicle
- Operating a motor vehicle with a revoked license
- Unregistered motor vehicle
- Uninsured motor vehicle
- Possession of an open container (marijuana)
