Man Charged With Stealing Uber, Hitting MassDOT Worker Held On $20,000 Bail
CHELSEA (CBS) - A man charged with stealing an Uber, driving high on drugs and hitting a highway worker in Revere was ordered held on $20,000 bail Thursday.
Matthew Tyre, 29, of East Boston, pleaded not guilty to several charges including carjacking, operating under the influence of drugs, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, assault and battery on a police officer and negligent operation of a vehicle at his arraignment in Chelsea District Court.
Tyre was arrested shortly after the series of incidents early Thursday morning on Route 1 north. A MassDOT worker was getting out of his pickup truck at a crash scene just after midnight when a Honda Civic hit him. Troopers said the truck's arrow board warning light was on as he was getting out of the pickup.
The man driving the Honda, later identified as Tyre, tried to run away after the crash, police said, but a State Trooper caught him. Investigators said Tyre had carjacked the Honda moments earlier on Route 1 from an Uber driver who had picked him up.
Prosecutors said Tyre asked to sit in the front seat of the Uber and was drinking whiskey, splashed the driver, said he was the son of a police officer and could do whatever he wanted. The driver pulled over and got out for help. Tyre stole the Honda Civic, according to prosecutors, then hit the highway worker. Troopers said he was belligerent with police during his arrest and booking overnight.
The MassDOT worker, a 52-year-old man from Revere, was taken to Melrose-Wakefield Hospital with what police described as "non-life-threatening" injuries. MassDOT told WBZ he was treated and released Thursday morning.
At his arraignment Thursday, Tyre's attorney said Tyre comes from a law enforcement family. His father is a retired Chelsea police officer and his uncle is a retired judge. The defense said Tyre is under psychiatric care and his medication had been changed.
