Articles Posted in OUI/Drunk Driving

‘Tis the season of high school proms. As a parent, I know the worry about what
“the kids” are doing out there. It did not occur to me that the adults in charge of the kids might need some worrying too. However, take Boston-area limosine driver, Brain H., 45 of Tewksbury, (hereinafter, the “Defendant”). Friday night, he was given the news that when this week began, he would be trading in his license for a new relationship…with a criminal defense attorney,

He was arrested in Lowell and charged with operating under the influence of alcohol…while transporting a group of high school students after the prom.

You see, a group of Lowell Catholic High School students hired the limosine from Lynette’s Limousine Service for the prom on Friday evening. However, during the outing, according to police, two of the girls noticed that the driver was driving erratically. One of them called a parent when the limo stopped at the Showcase Cinema at 32 Reiss Ave., police said.

Apparently, the students became suspicious that the Defendant ‘s driving abilities had been hampered by drinking during the trip because he kept getting lost and repeatedly veered onto the rumble strips on the side of the road. According to the students, the situation got so bad that the students demanded that the Defendant pull over the limousine, which is why they stopped in the movie theater parking lot.

Officers said the parent who had been called immediately contacted Lowell police and the Defendant was arrested at the movie theater at 11:40 p.m.

According to police, the Defendant had initially left the area when the students refused to get back into the car, but returned shortly after, pleaded for the students to forgive him, and tried to convince them to get back into the limo. At one point he is said to have “…actually put his hands in the praying position and said ‘Please, I’m sorry, I made a mistake,” according to the students.

The students did not go for it and the parents are likewise not in a forgiving mood.
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A north of Boston attorney has found herself on the chair most often occupied by her clients. At least, that is, in court. Otherwise, she is in custody, held without bail, for driving offenses.

Tracy T., 32, of Revere (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) is being held without bail on what the Commonwealth alleges to be her third drunk driving charge. Well, that was one reason.

The other reason, according to prosecutors, is that she gave false information to the patrolman who stopped her.

The alleged event took place in Marblehead last Thursday morning. The Defendant was pulled over by police. Upon questioning, she is said to have given the police a phony name, date of birth and a Social Security number that turned out to be that of an elderly man. She said she didn’t have her license on her, then told the officer that it was expired.

When police determined who she was, The Defendant became apologetic and then allegedly gave the kicker line, “You aren’t going to arrest me, are you? I can’t get arrested. I am an attorney,” according to police.

Given that her line of argument was not persuasive under the circumstances (which allegedly include her failing two of three field sobriety tests and then registering a .22, more than three times the legal limit, on a portable Breathalyzer, the answer was in the affirmative.
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Raymond A., 51, of Hampden, (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) was hungry. He just wanted a burger. But he was watched by an ambulance driver. Now, he needs an attorney.

Springfield District Court was the venue for the Defendant’s little adventure to end. According to law enforcement, he had been driving under the influence of alcohol.

The adventure began at approximately 2:00 a.m. as an AMR ambulance driver observed the Defendant’s pickup truck driving erratically in AMR’s parking lot, according to Sgt. John M. Delaney, executive aide to Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet.

Perhaps thinking that his services might be needed at any moment, the ambulance driver followed the truck.

She did this while keeping the police informed of the truck’s route of travel while keeping it in sight.

Finally, she followed the truck into a McDonalds on Boston Road, where the Defendant, the driver of the truck, attempted to order food from a drive-up window.

There was a problem with the service…there wasn’t any. The place was closed.
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It has been a difficult and dangerous time for Boston-area police officers. While perhaps not intentional, recent tragedies and near-tragedies remind us that some of those we represent as defense attorneys often endanger not only themselves, but everyone around them when driving dangerously.

Including police officers. Let’s look at two recent examples.

You have probably already heard about State Police Captain Richard J. Cashin, 52, father of four, who died last Wednesday when his cruiser crashed into a utility pole. It has now been determined that he was likely enroute to help Saugus police pull over a car that was reportedly driving erratically.

About a mile and a half from the crash site, Saugus police had pulled over the driver who, police later found out, was texting while driving, said Saugus Lt. Michael Annese. He believes it’s likely that is where Cashin was headed.

State Police spokesman Dave Procopio said “Based on the proximity of the time and location and the type of police officer Capt. Cashin was – always looking to assist other officers – you could draw a reasonable inference that he had begun traveling up Route 1 to look for an erratic driver, who posed a threat to the public, at the time he lost his life,” Procopio said.

Witnesses told police the car’s lights and sirens were not on prior to the crash, Procopio said.
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