OCS Official Faces Charges In Brookline Chase

An assistant director of the Office of Career Services (OCS) arrested Wednesday remains at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center undergoing psychological evaluation, police said yesterday.

Wilson J. Hunt Jr. '65-'69, who was arrested after an extended car chase, will be arraigned on six charges--including armed assault with intent to murder--as soon as doctors determine he is fit to participate in a legal proceeding.

Bill Wright-Swadel, the director of OCS, confirmed yesterday that Hunt works in the office. He said that OCS officials have not decided whether Hunt, who has been at OCS since 1981, will continue to be employed there.

At OCS, Hunt is responsible for advising about minority student affairs, architecture, science and technology.

Wright-Swadel said the OCS community is very concerned about Hunt and is closely monitoring his situation.

"He has been a valued member of this community for a very long time," he said.

A student who had an advising appointment with Hunt yesterday said he received a phone call and an e-mail message from OCS to alert him that his appointment had been cancelled.

Hunt also serves as a non-resident first-year advisor. Dean of Freshmen Elizabeth Studley Nathans declined to comment on the matter.

After his arrest Wednesday, Hunt was taken to the Brookline police station, where he offered police "minimal" cooperation, according to David O'Laughlin, a spokesperson for the Brookline Police Department (BPD).

O'Laughlin said police took Hunt to Beth Israel Hospital for psychiatric evaluation in a police-escorted ambulance.

After an examination raised questions about Hunt's mental condition, doctors determined he should remain in the unit for more observation. He will remain there until doctors say he is mentally fit to take part in a legal hearing, O'Laughlin said.

After the initial evaluation, police notified the Brookline District Court that Hunt would not appear for arraignment yesterday morning, O'Laughlin said.

A hospital spokesperson confirmed yesterday that Hunt remains at Beth Israel in stable condition, but declined further comment.

When the arraignment takes place, charges will be read and explained to Hunt, and he will be assigned a court date.

In addition to the armed assault charge, Hunt is accused of resisting arrest, failing to stop for a police officer, operating a vehicle to endanger, speeding more than 20 miles per hour over the limit and failing to stop for a red light.

On Wednesday, police said Hunt was speeding at around 70 miles per hour when a police car tried to pull him over, according to BPD Lieutenant John D. O'Leary.

When Hunt failed to stop, an officer chased him to Cambridge, where he lost sight of Hunt's white Subaru Legacy, Brookline police said.

The officer caught up with Hunt outside Winthrop House at about 1:40 p.m. Hunt made repeated attempts to "grab the officer's gun out of the holster" when the officer tried to arrest him, O'Leary said, forming the basis for the armed assault charge.

Witnesses said Hunt then tried to escape, running two blocks to the front of the Malkin Athletic Center, where he was apprehended by police with the aid of Brian C. Gatten '01, Leigh A. Rovzar '01 and Mark B. Scott '01.

"He...look[ed] kind of panicked," Rovzar said. "Once he was on the ground he gave up a little. He had this wide-eyed look."

Students who have met with Hunt in his advisory capacity at OCS said they were surprised to hear of the arrest.

David A. Rosales '01, who met with Hunt to learn about the Sponsors for

Educational Opportunity minority internship program, said that Hunt was "very helpful, very kind, very professional."

"He was friendly, the most useful contact I've had with Harvard staff administration," said Mike J. Schultz '02 who credits Hunt with getting him a summer job at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.