Suspect Arrested On Garden Street

A man who was allegedly pestering women from his car as they walked down Garden Street yesterday morning was arrested after slamming his driver’s side door on a Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) officer and refusing to exit the vehicle under his own power, HUPD spokesperson Steven G. Catalano said.

Detectives arrested Derek Moats, 52, of Acton, Mass., on three charges, including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

“The charges emanate from Mr. Moats’ interactions with the responding officer,” Catalano said. “No charges have been filed regarding his interactions with the reporting party.”

At approximately 9:50 a.m. yesterday, HUPD officers responded to a call from a witness alerting officers to an individual offering rides in his car near the intersection of Garden Street and Appian Way.

En route, one of the officers was flagged down by a woman standing in the middle of Garden Street.

“The woman was visibly upset and shaken,” Catalano said.

When the officer stopped to address her, the woman pointed at the suspect’s car and said the man inside had tried to get her to enter the car with him. The woman advised the officer to approach the car immediately because the man inside the car was talking to another woman at the time.

When Moats saw the officer drawing near, he immediately rolled up the car windows and started the engine as another officer arrived on the scene for backup. Moats began screaming and yelling, thereby attracting a crowd of onlookers, Catalano said.

The two officers positioned themselves on either side of the car and began to open both front doors before Moats allegedly aggressively shut the driver’s side door on one of the officer’s arms.

The other officer reached through the passenger’s side door and removed the keys from the car ignition.

The officers then commanded Moats to exit the car, which he refused to do. He instead firmly gripped the steering wheel and said, “I am not going anywhere,” according to Catalano.

More officers from both the HUPD and the Cambridge Police Department (CPD) arrived on the scene and instructed Moats to exit his car, though he continually refused, Catalano said.

The officers then unsuccessfully attempted to physically remove Moats from the car.

A CPD officer then used pepper spray on Moats. After being sprayed, Moats still continued to resist the officers, but he was finally removed and placed under arrest.

Moats was handcuffed and transported to Cambridge City Hospital for evaluation.

Catalano said the entire incident lasted approximately five minutes.

According to Massachusetts sentencing guidelines, Moats could face up to 12 months in prison if convicted of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and causing no or minor injury.

Catalano said HUPD had received two previous reports of Harvard affiliates being asked if they wanted to ride in a man’s car on July 8 and July 9.

“After the HUPD received a second report of an individual asking women if they wanted rides, all shifts were put on notice to be on the lookout for this individual,” Catalano said. “The description of Mr. Moats, the vehicle he was driving and his interactions with the reporting party were similar to those of the previous two incidents.”

“Although the descriptions are similar, we cannot definitively state that Mr. Moats was involved in the previous two incidents,” Catalano added. “The investigation is ongoing.”

Catalano said HUPD does not believe Moats is connected to the several indecent assaults that occurred in the winter.

Catalano said HUPD was aided in making yesterday’s arrest by the woman who flagged down a police cruiser immediately after she was approached by a suspicious person.

“Anyone witnessing suspicious activity should call the HUPD immediately,” Catalano said.

Catalano said if a police cruiser is not in sight, a person can call HUPD directly from the nearest blue light emergency telephone. HUPD can also be reached by dialing headquarters at 617-495-1212 from any phone, Catalano said.

—Staff writer Alan J. Tabak can be reached at tabak@fas.harvard.edu.