Framingham: Man Harassed Motorist & Punched Vehicle

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FRAMINGHAM – Framingham Police were called to Shoppers World yesterday for a “hazard” according to the police log.

According to the police spokesperson, an “unidentified male approached a vehicle asking for money.  The male punched the trunk of the vehicle after being told no.”

The incident happened at 7:49 p.m. on October 19.

The man is “described as a white male wearing a light-colored sweatshirt with red stripes,” said Lt. Rachel Mickens.   

Frustrated with panhandlers walking between traffic asking for money, knocking on driver’s windows, and even reaching into vehicles, the City Council passed an ordinance last month, which restricts panhandling on specific roadways, for safety reasons.

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On September 20, the 11-member City Council unanimously voted to pass a new ordinance to address “aggressive panhandlers” on 20 roadways in the City of Framingham. Mayor Charlie Sisitsky signed the “Median Safety and Pedestrian” ordinance on September 22, and it went into effect immediately.

As of yesterday, October 19, no citations have been turned into records for the new ordinance that passed in September, said the police spokesperson.

Police have to witness the violation in order to issue a citation.

On October 12, the Framingham Police spokesperson said “I spoke with the Chief regarding this. The Department has implemented the Median Safety and Pedestrian Regulation. Officers on patrol educated people in advance to promote awareness of the order, and officers have been provided with the information and tools needed to conduct enforcement.”

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Under the new ordinance, “a pedestrian shall not enter a public way into the pathway of motor vehicles traveling on and along the roadway or approach within five (5) feet of a motor vehicle or vehicles using a roadway.”

The Framingham Police Department will be in charge of enforcement.

“Any individual who violates the provisions of this ordinance shall be cited and fined.

For the first offense, it is a $50 fine.

For second offense, it is a $100 fine.

For third and subsequent offenses, it is a $300 fine.

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The new ordinance makes it “unlawful for any pedestrian to walk along and upon an adjacent roadway whenever a sidewalk, median, crosswalk, center traffic island, or safety island is available for pedestrian use. … Where sidewalks, medians, crosswalks, center traffic islands, or safety islands are unavailable, a pedestrian shall use an unfinished shoulder of a roadway and avoid traveling or entering into the roadway.”

The ordinance is confided to about 20 specific roadways in the City of Framingham.

The roadways include:

• Beaver Street
• Blandin Road
• Cochituate Road
• Concord Street
• Hollis Street
• Howard Street
• Irving Street
• Temple Street
• Union Avenue
• Franklin Street
• Mt. Wayte Avenue

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• Park Street
• Winter Street
• Worcester Road (Route 9)
• Speen Street
• Old Conn Path
• Whittier Street
• Shoppers World Drive