Man charged with shooting, high-speed chase

Lawrence Perryman, 20, was ordered held in lieu of $250,000 bail after he allegedly shot at two men early Wednesday, then led police on a high-speed chase down Gallivan Boulevard and onto the Expressway at speeds of up to 110 m.p.h.

Perryman, only hit one of his intended targets around 1 a.m. on Crowell Street before fleeing, Assistant Suffolk County District Attorney Brendan Cox said at Perryman's arraignment in Dorchester District Court. The victim was taken to Carney Hospital with shoulder and back injuries.

A Boston Police officer, making an unrelated traffic stop nearby, heard the shots and began chasing Perryman's black Nissan, Cox said. On Fairmount Street, Perryman got up to 60 m.p.h. He sped onto Gallivan Boulevard, where he reached 80 m.p.h. - and threw a gun out his window, Cox said. After that, it was up to I-93, where he got pushed the accelerator to 110 m.p.h. before coming to a stop near Exit 15, Cox said.

Perryman was then arrested on charges of assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition and a collection of motor-vehicle offenses.

Cox said police recovered the gun, which had scratches consistent with having been tossed out of a speeding car onto pavement. The gun had three spent rounds and two live ones, Cox said.

Perryman's lawyer, Jeffrey Clifford, argued for bail of just $15,000, in part, he said, because authorities have only circumstantial evidence against him. Police, Clifford said, were not on Crowell Street at the time of the shooting and the fact that the gun was found on Gallivan Boulevard after the chase is hardly a "smoking gun," because the shooting took place not far away and whoever did it would naturally toss a gun there. "It's a very busy roadway in Dorchester," he noted.

Perryman, he continued, is the caretaker for his elderly grandfather and for the children of several of his siblings - some of whom attended the court session. Although Perryman has a record dating to juvenile court, it was "not signficant," he added.

The judge, however, sided with prosecutors. Perryman is due back in court on Nov. 17.

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