A Methuen police officer has been arrested for the death of a Lowell man in an alcohol-related car crash, according to a recent article from CBS Local Boston. The police officer was charged with Operating Under the Influence (OUI) of intoxicating liquor or drugs, vehicular homicide involving alcohol, and open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, and he was given a citation for a marked lanes violation and negligent operation.
As your Boston drunk driving accident lawyer knows, OUI is the name for a DUI charge in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Witnesses say that the defendant was in an SUV traveling west on Riverside Drive in Lowell at just after midnight, when he crossed over the centerline and hit the victim’s car. The victim was trapped in the car, and firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to get the victim out of the wrecked vehicle. The victim was then taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The victim was out that night to pick up his sister from work. She was taken to the hospital after the crash and was reported to be in stable condition. The extent of her injuries has not been released.
The defendant is being held on $500,000 cash bail, due to the allegations in this case and the fact that he was arrested last year for drunk driving as well. In that case, he refused to take a breathalyzer and lost his driver’s license for six months.
Continue reading