Man who hit Boston Police officers with stolen cruiser sentenced to 12 years in prison

The man who hit a Boston Police officer with a stolen cruiser in 2013 was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Wednesday.

Wilfredo Rodriguez, 40, plead guilty to armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, larceny of a motor vehicle, negligent operation, leaving the scene of a crime of an accident causing personal injury, resisting arrest, larceny over $250, larceny under $250, and two counts of breaking and entering a motor vehicle in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony.

Police responded to a report of a man breaking into cars near Baxter Street in Southie at about 4 a.m. on Oct. 5, 2013.

Officers pursued Rodriguez, who ignored their orders to stop. Instead, Rodriguez hopped into an unattended police cruiser. Police said that he also ignored their requests for him to exit the vehicle before he hit the gas, hitting an officer as she stood in front of the car. She was thrown off of the hood, causing her to hit her head on the street.

Additional officers used their cruisers to try and block Rodriguez’s escape. However, he threw the cruiser in reverse and drove in the direction of the injured officer and narrowly missed her as she rolled between parked vehicles, the evidence showed. He then put it in drive and sped off.

Rodriguez ultimately crashed the cruiser into a barrier at the JFK/UMass T station as he fled at a high rate of speed from pursuing officers. He was taken into custody as he tried to flee the scene on foot.

During the course of their investigation, officers determined that Rodriguez had broken into a silver Mercedes Benz on Baxter Street and a blue Jeep Grand Cherokee parked on E Street.

Officers found items stolen from the Mercedes inside the Jeep, including a North Face backpack, an iPod, headphones and sneakers. Items stolen from the Jeep included a Red Sox ticket and $20.