3 suspects arrested after stabbing in Orange, police pursuit

BELCHERTOWN, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - Three people are in custody after an assault in Orange that led to a police pursuit.

Orange Police said that a 911 call came in around 3:45 a.m. Monday for a reported stabbing in the area of 600 North Main Street. When officers arrived, they found a silver van that was fleeing the scene as a victim approached police to tell them that he had been stabbed. As officers were helping the victim, the van came back and the driver was ordered to stop, but it didn’t and continued at a high rate of speed on South Main Street.

One officer stayed to help the victim, while the other purused the vehicle. That pursuit went through New Salem, Shutesbury, Pelham, and Belchertown. Mass. State Police spokesperson David Procopio said that their department was called in to assist and they assumed command of the pursuit.

Orange Police added that during the pursuit, those inside the vehicle were seen throwing items, later determined to be construction screws, out of the van, which led to damage of the cruiser.

The vehicle ended up hitting a guardrail and coming to a stop in a field on George Hannum Street in Belchertown and three suspects fled. Two of them, identified by State Police as 31-year-old Juan Rodriguez of Chicopee and 31-year-old Alex Santana of Chicopee, were arrested a short time later. Both suspects were turned over to Orange Police on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon.

The third suspect, 22-year-old Ali Ayala of Springfield, was arrested near Dunkin Donuts in Belchertown.

All three suspects were arraigned in Orange District Court on Monday on several charges including attempted murder. They were ordered held pending a dangerousness hearing on Friday.

The male victim was taken to Athol Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released.

Orange Police are asking that if anyone was in the area of North Main Street, Oxbow Road, and Cross Road overnight and saw anything, call (978) 544-2129.

Editor’s Note: this story has been updated to reflect new information from Orange Police.