By Jim Clark

A Somerville Police officer who was monitoring vehicular traffic near the intersection of Elm and Chester Streets last Sunday was flagged by bystanders down and informed that a man had just come out of the Burren bar and broke the side mirror of a parked taxi cab.

After inspecting the damaged vehicle, the officer observed a man running west on Elm St., and several people pointed him out as the suspect in question.

After informing Somerville Police control of his location, the officer activated his emergency equipment and followed the man, later identified as Jacob Sylvester, towards Highland Ave.

Sylvester then reportedly ran towards Davis Square train station. The officer exited the cruiser and chased him on foot and was able to stop him on College Ave.

The officer placed Sylvester on the ground and put him in handcuffs. While running away from the officer, Sylvester reportedly interfered with vehicular traffic, caused several cars to slam on their brakes to avoid striking him.

Once apprehended, Sylvester reportedly referred to the officer with a racially offensive epithet, called females who walked by derogatory names, and called a black man who walked passed us the n-word. Sylvester reportedly continued to yell at people on the street for no reason, causing public inconvenience.

An off-duty Cambridge Police officer stopped and assisted until other Somerville officers arrived to assist in the arrest.

According to reports, Sylvester continued to yell at people on the street and the police officers and shouted profanities, as well as asserting that he hated taxi cabs.

The arresting officer spoke with the doorman at the Burren who informed him that Sylvester attempted to walk out of the bar with a bottle of beer, and when he took it away from him he started yelling, then walked up to the cab and smashed the side mirror.

The cab driver reportedly told police that Sylvester seemed to break the mirror for no reason.

Sylvester was placed under arrest on charges of disorderly conduct and malicious damage to a motor vehicle and transported to the station for booking.