SPRINGFIELD — A chaotic series of events unfolded on Friday, Jan. 24, when Springfield Police arrested 37-year-old Jennifer Poulin following a rampage that involved striking an officer, multiple vehicles, and a health center building while under the influence of drugs.
The incident began around 11:40 a.m., with officers responding to a call on the 500 block of Sumner Avenue where a vehicle had hit an unoccupied car in a parking lot.
The driver, later identified as Poulin, was unresponsive to firefighters at the scene.
As they attempted to reach her inside the vehicle, which was still in drive, Poulin suddenly reversed, narrowly missing the first responders.
Poulin then drove out of the parking lot onto Belmont Avenue, where she collided with an occupied vehicle, two parked cars, and two police cruisers with officers inside.
Despite hitting another cruiser and reversing onto a snowbank, Poulin persisted, driving through the intersection of Belmont Avenue and Sumner Avenue and crashing into the Caring Health Center.
As officers managed to open the passenger door, Poulin reversed, hitting an officer with the door before backing into another section of the health center.
She continued down Belmont Avenue, striking three more parked vehicles before her car came to a halt on the sidewalk.
Poulin, who was found with crack-cocaine and methamphetamine, had her license suspended and was operating an uninsured and unregistered vehicle.
She was taken to Baystate Hospital and later booked at Springfield Police Headquarters.
The two injured officers were treated at Mercy Hospital and have since been released.
Poulin faces a multitude of charges including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, and multiple counts of leaving the scene of a crash, along with drug possession and vehicle violations.
In total, she is accused of hitting ten vehicles, an officer, and the Caring Health Center building twice.