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Barnstable Police Seek Driver After Violent Road‑Rage Beating

Officials say the town's recent end to Flock ALPR camera use may have removed a tool that could have identified the suspect vehicle.

Overview

  • The attack occurred on Sept. 9 between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., beginning on Fuller Road and ending on Marie‑Anne Terrace in Centerville, where a 74‑year‑old resident was severely beaten and taken to Cape Cod Hospital for treatment.
  • Police are looking for a White man in his 30s, about 6 feet tall with a stocky build, who was driving a dark newer‑model Volkswagen SUV with an illuminated VW emblem and who was last seen heading toward Fuller Road with a possible second person in the car.
  • The investigation is active with no arrests reported and police are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Eric Rogorzenski at 317@barnstablepolice.gov or 774‑499‑3317 or to send anonymous tips to tips@barnstablepolice.gov.
  • Barnstable's Town Council voted on Sept. 3 to end use of Flock automatic license plate recognition cameras and police say that loss of ALPR plate and timestamp data could have provided leads to identify the vehicle.
  • The Barnstable case follows several Massachusetts communities canceling contracts with Flock Safety over privacy concerns, a trend that local officials say raises questions about the balance between civil‑liberties worries and investigative needs.