Revere Man Charged With OUI In Highway Work Site Crash
BOSTON (CBS) -- It's happened again.
Prosecutors say another alleged drunk driver has plowed into a MassDOT work site.
Liam Stapleton, 38, of Revere joins a list of at least four accused drunk drivers who have slammed into highway construction sites in the past two months.
Stapleton was arraigned in East Boston Municipal Court on charges of OUI liquor, negligent operation, and a marked lanes violation. He was ordered held on $500 bail.
State Troopers said Stapleton smashed into a lighted arrow sign inside the Callahan Tunnel around 2 a.m. Monday morning. They said Stapleton continued to drive another 500 feet after the impact before they stopped him.
State police say he apologized at the scene, admitted to having "three beers," and said he "should have taken an Uber" because he was drunk.
This is at least the fifth time in two months that an alleged drunk driver has crashed into a MassDOT work site.
On June 28, Massachusetts highway worker Thomas O'Day was killed when an alleged drunk driver plowed into a work site on I-93 in Medford.
The day before that, a MassDOT worker was seriously injured by a man accused of drunk driving.
And on June 30, an alleged OUI offender rammed into a Bristol County Sheriff's van. The deputy there said she was lucky to escape with her life.
Massachusetts Highway Administrator Thomas Tinlin issued the following statement Monday afternoon:
"Once again, an alleged intoxicated person made the decision to get behind the wheel and drove into a MassDOT work zone. Fortunately, no lives were lost and no one was injured. People who drive drunk should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and members of the public should speak up if they see someone who's been drinking get behind the wheel and attempt to drive. All members members of our workforce deserve to go home to their families at the end of their shift."
Stapleton has a driving record several pages long, including refusing to take a breathalyzer twice in New Hampshire. He also refused to take one last night, resulting in the immediate suspension of his drivers license for 180 days. The prosecutor called his history behind the wheel "alarming."
He was ordered to to remain alcohol-free, be subject to random testing, and not operate a vehicle unless properly licensed.
Stapleton will be back in court on September 28. His defense attorney says he has every intention of fighting the case.