NEW BERLIN – The Town of New Berlin Police were led on a six-mile chase late Thursday night that ended with them tackling the driver as he tried to run away after his car blew a tire.

New Berlin officer-in-charge Dominick Commesso said the chase began just before midnight Thursday, along West Street in the Village of New Berlin when a patrol attempted to pull over a four-door sedan for having a loud muffler.

“The officer hit his lights and the driver took off down King Settlement Road, County Route 29, before turning onto County Route 28. After traveling three, four miles down County Route 29, the defendant’s vehicle suffered a blow-out and he then decided to drive about 400 yards into a field to avoid the officer. After bringing his vehicle to a stop, the defendant fled into a wooded area and was caught by the officer who pursued him on foot and took him into custody with the use of force a few moments later,” said Commesso.

Police charged 37-year-old Josh L. Hurlbutt, Norwich, with more than a dozen criminal offenses and traffic infractions, including third degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, unlawfully fleeing a police vehicle, resisting arrest, obstructing government administration and two counts of reckless driving, all misdemeanors.