Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Massachusetts Justice: Stay Off the Road

You never know which state official might be blitzed out of his mind.

"Ex-chief charged with OUI" by Matt Rocheleau, Globe Correspondent | December 1, 2009

A former Weston police chief has been charged with his third drunken driving offense in connection with an accident earlier this month that injured an 82-year-old woman and two other people, according to court records.

And I was hassled after two.

James J. McShane, 62, who lives in Natick, pleaded not guilty at a Nov. 16 arraignment. He was charged with his third offense of operating under the influence, as well as marked lanes violation, court records show. McShane resigned as police chief after being charged with drunken driving in 1995, according to a Globe article, but information on the other charge was not readily available. His lawyer, Peter Bella of Waltham, declined to comment yesterday.

On Nov. 14, McShane’s car collided with a vehicle on Route 30 in Weston. An 82-year-old passenger in the other vehicle was taken to Newton-Wellesley Hospital, where, according to family members, she spent nearly two weeks recovering from multiple injuries. The vehicle’s 43-year-old driver and another passenger, age 13, were treated for minor injuries.

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And he is not alone.

"Official faces drunken driving charges" by John R. Ellement, Globe Staff | September 29, 2009

A civil federal immigration official pleaded not guilty yesterday to a second drunken driving offense in Quincy District Court, where he was arraigned after authorities said he led Weymouth police on a chase early Sunday in which speeds topped 100 miles per hour.

Omar Hernandez was freed on $1,000 cash bail by Judge Diane E. Moriarty, who also barred him from driving. According to his Registry of Motor Vehicles record, Hernandez has amassed a four-page list of traffic infractions, including a 2006 conviction for drunken driving, a 2003 charge of driving with an open container of alcohol in Hull, and three speeding tickets since 1999. He also has been involved in at least four accidents for which he was at least partially at fault in Boston, Saugus, Malden, and Quincy between 1999 and 2006, the Registry records show....

Amazing how officials continue to slip through the cracks, huh?

They yanked my license right away!

Hernandez is an immigration services officer for the Boston office of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, according to agency spokesman Bill Wright. Hernandez is one of the first officials that people contact when they have immigration issues, Wright said.... Hernandez has worked for the federal agency, part of the US Department of Homeland Security, since Sept. 18, 2005. He asked a supervisor for permission to take accumulated leave, a request that was granted, Wright said. “This is leave he already had earned,’’ said Wright. “He is being paid.’’

He should be fired!

Wright said Hernandez has a G-9 pay rating. According to federal pay scales, as a G-9 Hernandez would earn between $50,769 and $66,000 annually.

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And even if you are not an authority figure, you can still slosh around the streets of our state
:

"Teen hit by drunk driver, say police" by Jack Nicas, Globe Correspondent | December 1, 2009

Police said Bonnie Lee Hicks, 43, of Billerica, struck the 17-year-old in a crosswalk as he walked to work at a Waltham assisted-living center at about 6:20 a.m. Sunday. Authorities did not release the victim’s name, but friends identified him as John Causland, a senior at Waltham High School.

Drunk at 6 in the morning?


Hicks, whose license has been revoked, was released on personal recognizance yesterday after pleading not guilty to six charges at Waltham District Court.... Hicks was also charged with operating with a suspended registration, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, operating with no inspection sticker, and a crosswalk violation. She is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 12.

Causland was taken to the Lahey Clinic in Burlington with life-threatening injuries, police said. Television reports said Causland underwent brain surgery and is in a drug-induced coma.

Released on recognizance?

Hicks has an extensive driving record dating back to 1985, including an accident, speeding, and two failure-to-stop infractions, according to records from the Registry of Motor Vehicles. She has also missed three payments and one court appearance related to traffic violations, according to the records....

And yet somehow she was still driving the streets.

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Be careful out there, fellow citizen.

Related: Mass. Lawmaker Boozes Up On Bathroom Break in New Hampshire

The Great "Gooch": A Drunk-Driving Hero

The Boston Globe's Invisible Ink: LA Confidential