Arlington Man Arrested After Stolen Truck, Rowing Boats Cause Multiple Crashes in Cambridge, Belmont

James Brett St. Clair, an Arlington man, was arrested after stealing a pickup truck towing competitive rowing boats from the Arlington-Belmont Crew Club and leading police on a dangerous pursuit through Arlington, Belmont, and Cambridge, Massachusetts. During the chase, the truck struck multiple vehicles, gas stations, concrete barriers, and even a police cruiser, causing non-life-threatening injuries to the officer and two others, as well as significant property damage. Surveillance and witness footage showed rowing shells flying off the trailer and collisions that left a 40-foot rowing boat broken in the street, devastating the local crew team. The pursuit ended near the Cambridge-Belmont line where police successfully stopped the vehicle and took St. Clair into custody. Authorities continue investigating the incident, which involved multiple agencies and several hit-and-run crashes. The local rowing community expressed deep sadness over the loss and destruction of their boats following a challenging season.