By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to the Cataldo Ambulance parking lot on Washington St. last week on reports of a motor vehicle incident.

Upon arrival, an employee of Cataldo Ambulance reportedly told the officers that a man, later identified as Jatinder Singh, had parked a car in the lot and began walking away. The employee said that Singh was told that he could not leave the car parked there so he turned back and returned to the car.

A police officer asked Singh what was happening and he reportedly told the police that he had stolen the car.

After being read his Miranda rights, Singh was questioned further on the matter. He reportedly told the officers that he was walking along Washington St. and spotted the car in question parked in front of an auto body shop with the keys in the ignition. He then decided to take the car for a ride.

According to Singh, he drove to the Dunkin’ Donuts on Cambridge St., then on toward the high school. He then reportedly looped through Union Square and then headed back east on Washington St.

When Singh got to the concrete island located at Washington and Boston Sts. he veered over the double yellow line into oncoming traffic on Washington St. He then entered the intersection of Washington St and McGrath Highway against the red light, striking a 2008 gray Nissan Sentra in the middle of the intersection.

The stolen vehicle suffered front left damage, and the front driver’s side tire went flat. The vehicle struck sustained heavy front end damage.

Following the accident, Singh reportedly proceeded on the wrong side of the street to the east side of the intersection, drove up and over a cement island. Once on the correct side of Washington St, he turned left into the Cataldo Ambulance parking lot where the employee witnessed him exit the vehicle.

Singh was subsequently placed under arrest and charged with marked lanes violation, leaving the scene of property damage, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, larceny of a motor vehicle, and unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.