Crime & Safety

Medfield Man Faces OUI Liquor Charge After Allegedly Crashing Vehicle into Tree

Man was issued summons on multiple charges after allegedly crashing his vehicle into a tree on Sunday, Nov. 13.

Medfield Police issued an 18-year-old Medfield man a summons on multiple charges early Sunday morning after he allegedly crashed his motor vehicle into a tree on Granite Street, according to police logs.

The motor vehicle operator who allegedly crashed into a tree was charged with OUI-Liquor, malicious destruction of property $250 or less and leaving the accident scene after property damage, according to police logs.

Medfield Chief of Police Robert E. Meaney Jr. said the property damaged was a mailbox and the driver had left the vehicle with minor injuries upon officer’s arrival.

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“The person did not remain at the scene and was walking up the street when [he was] located,” Meaney said. “The driver was injured and the injuries were minor. No one else was in the car.”

Medfield Police received a 911 call at 12:29 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13 reporting a motor vehicle crash on Granite Street, according to police reports. The caller reported the male operator had crashed into a tree, according to police logs. Officers and the Medfield ambulance responded to the scene. The ambulance transported the injured driver to Norwood Hospital.

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Meaney explained why the 18-year-old, who appeared to officers to be under the influence of alcohol, was issued a summons rather than being placed under arrest.

“The determination of OUI (operating under the influence) is based on observations of the individual at the scene: odor of alcohol, eye condition, field sobriety tests and admissions of alcohol consumption,” Meaney said. “The individual will be summonsed based on the fact that [he was] transported to the hospital and if at that point we arrest the person, then we have to leave a police officer at the hospital to guard them. We will do that if needed, but we knew who the individual was and the end result in court will be the same.”

Meaney said the 18-year-old was not charged with underage possession of alcohol because it had already been consumed and there is no consumption law in Massachusetts.

“The charge of possession needs to have alcohol involved other than the alcohol that a person has already consumed and is in their bodies,” Meaney said. “Some states view this differently but in Massachusetts you need to have full or partial containers of alcohol in the vehicle or on the person or in close proximity to the person in order to charge them. Massachusetts does not have charge regarding consumption of alcohol, only possession.”

Explaining the Charges:

  • OUI-Liquor. “The determination of OUI (operating under the influence) is based on observations of the individual at the scene: odor of alcohol, eye condition, field sobriety tests and admissions of alcohol consumption,” Meaney said.
  • Malicious destruction of property $250 or less. “A mailbox was damaged,” Meaney said.
  • Leaving accident scene after property damage. “The person did not remain at the scene and was walking up the street when [he was] located,” Meaney said.


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