Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network

Massachusetts Police News, Information and Discussions on MassCops

Posted by: USMCMP5811

Selectmen chairman charged with OUI
By Matt Lynch/Daily News Staff
Sunday, January 07, 2007 - Updated: 11:26 PM EST



Board of Selectmen Chairman Jerald Mayhew was arrested early yesterday morning and charged with drunken driving after police responded to an accident on Pulaski Boulevard.
Mayhew, 70, of 35 Cross St., was arrested at 2:24 a.m. and charged with operating under the influence of liquor, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, and failure to use care on a start/stop/turn/back, police said.
Mayhew acknowledged he had a couple of drinks at his job as a bartender at the Coachmen's Lodge on Wrentham Road in Bellingham, refused a Breathalyzer test and said he should not have been driving.
"It was my fault," he said in an interview. "I was not smashing drunk, laying down on the ground, but it affected me enough so that I should not have been driving."
Mayhew said he was driving to the White Hen Pantry when he rear-ended another driver. "I hit the back of her car," said Mayhew. "We pulled into the parking lot and did all of the necessary paperwork and then the police came and arrested me."
Police said Mayhew posted bail yesterday and was released.
The driver of the other car, Meghan Clinton, of Bellingham, said she was heading home from a friend's house when the accident occurred.
"I stopped at the light and the guy just basically slammed into me," said Clinton, 20, who was driving a Nissan Sentra. "He was in his lane and he sort of drifted over and hit me."
Clinton, whose mother drove her to Milford Regional Medical Center, said she had a strained back and neck, and knee contusion from the accident.
She said "it was really obvious," Mayhew had been drinking and that he refused a Breathalyzer test. Mayhew confirmed he did not take the test.
The chairman said he has no plans to step down following the arrest and will continue his work as a selectman.
"I made a mistake and I will pay for it," he said. "As far as continuing on (with the board), this doesn't cloud my thinking or affect my decision making with the Board of Selectmen."
Mayhew's arrest stunned Michele Decelles, co-owner of the Coachman's Lodge with her husband, Norman.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry to hear that," said Decelles, who described Mayhew as "a great guy ... a loyal friend ... he's like family."
The incident, she said, was "totally out character" for Mayhew who has been tending bar at the lodge for a decade.
She said Mayhew yesterday had called in sick to his job.
Selectman Richard Martinelli said he was unaware of Mayhew's arrest and had no comment. "I've heard nothing about it," he said. "I haven't spoken to him at all. I haven't heard anything about it."
Police said a press conference regarding Mayhew's arrest is scheduled for today.
Mayhew said he worked at the Coachmen's Lodge until midnight, had a couple of drinks, and headed home around 1 a.m.
"I had had some drinks and I just left work," he said.

Selectman charged with OUI
MICHAEL HOLTZMAN, Staff Writer
01/08/2007




BELLINGHAM -- The chairman and longtime member of the Board of Selectmen is charged with drunken driving and driving recklessly after colliding with another vehicle at Crooks Corner shortly after 1 Sunday morning, police said.


Jerald A. Mayhew, 70, of 35 Cross St., surrendered his license and was released on $40 personal recognizance, pending an appearance Thursday in District Court, Milford, according to reports and Mayhew.

var bnum=new Number(Math.floor(99999999 * Math.random())+1); document.write(''); In addition to those two charges, Mayhew is charged with failure to use caution and care in stopping or turning.

Police were releasing few details of the incident Sunday. A dispatcher said Chief Gerald L. Daigle would hold a press conference this morning at police headquarters.

Police logs from Sunday showed that Daigle was released about 3:15 a.m., following his arrest about two hours after police responded to the accident in the parking lot by the White Hen Pantry.

Mayhew -- who took responsibility for the accident and acknowledged drinking before it during an interview Sunday night -- said the accident happened after he left work at the Coachman’s Lodge on Wrentham Road, where he tends bar.

"I had a couple of drinks. It just affected me. I feel very badly about the situation. I’m going to pay for it," he said.

Mayhew said that while driving his Volkswagen Passat he was getting ready to move into the right-hand lane on Wrentham Road and turn into the parking lot when he hit the other car from behind.

Mayhew lives a short distance away in South Bellingham.

Police did not provide any information about the other driver or vehicle. Mayhew said it was a woman in her 20s whom he believed was from town. He said they were both alone in their cars.

The police report said Blackstone police, assisting at the scene, called for an ambulance but that the patient refused medical attention.

Mayhew said he was not aware of anyone being injured.

Mayhew said he refused taking a Breathalyzer test at police headquarters, was booked and picked up at the station by his daughter.

He emphasized that police did not show him any preferential treatment as selectmen chairman. "I went through the same thing as any other lawbreaker would go through," he said, adding that police "were very professional" and that "I can’t be more proud of my police force."

Patrolman Douglas P. Houston was listed as the responding officer, and Mayhew said Sgt. Paul Peterson was the shift commander in charge of the investigation.

Mayhew, who’s on his 12th year on the Board of Selectmen, about half of those years as chairman, said he took responsibility for his actions knowing how he would feel if someone who’d been drinking struck a vehicle driven by his granddaughter. "It was a situation which I wish didn’t happen," he said. "It did. I suffer the consequences."

When asked, Mayhew said he had not been previously convicted of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. He retained a legal driver’s license that he turned over to police as requiring after a drunken driving arrest, he said.

Town Administrator Denis C. Fraine, who’s in the midst of a one-week vacation out of state, said last night he was aware of the situation but had not been updated by the police chief. "I’m not going to comment on anything," said Fraine, who plans to return to work later this week.

With the Board of Selectmen scheduled to meet Monday night, Mayhew was asked about the impact this arrest would have on his political role.

"It certainly isn’t going to affect my ability to make sound business judgments and decisions on how this town should be run in a fiscally and intelligent way," said Mayhew, who has a finance and business background.

"What I did was on my own time, and it was an unfortunate incident and I’ll be paying for it," he said. "But it’s not going to affect how I represent the citizens of Bellingham at all."

Mayhew was unopposed for a three-year term the last time he ran for office, and will be up for re-election in May.

---

Posted by: USMCMP5811

Selectman admits to sufficient facts, has OUI case continued for a year
By Matt Lynch/Daily News staff
Thursday, January 11, 2007 - Updated: 09:04 PM EST


MILFORD - Bellingham Board of Selectmen Chairman Jerald A. Mayhew received one year of probation and lost his license for 45 days after admitting in Milford District Court yesterday he was drunk when he rear-ended another driver early last Sunday.
Assistant District Attorney Robert Shea said Mayhew did not plead guilty or not guilty but admitted sufficient facts to continue without a final finding of guilt for one year, with the charge to be dismissed if there are no other offenses during that time.
Dan Doyle, Mayhew's attorney, told Judge Robert Calagione during yesterday's arraignment Mayhew made an error in judgment and accepted full responsibility for the accident.
``It's an aberration for him,'' said Doyle. ``It's a first-time instance and it certainly will be his last. He's ready to make amends and put this behind him.''
Calagione ordered Mayhew to also complete alcohol rehab class and a defensive driving class.
Mayhew was driving home on Pulaski Boulevard shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday morning when his car slammed into a Nissan Sentra driven by Meghan Clinton, a 20-year-old Bellingham resident.
Mayhew and Clinton pulled into the parking lot of the White Hen Pantry and Bellingham Police soon arrived.
Shea said police could tell Mayhew had been drinking.
``He was unsteady on his feet. There was the smell of alcohol on his person and his eyes were bloodshot,'' said Shea.
Mayhew refused a Breathalyzer test at the scene.
Clinton said she was treated for injuries at Milford Regional Medical Center.
In court, Mayhew admitted to charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and a traffic violation.
After the arraignment, Mayhew declined to comment, referring all questions to his attorney.
Mayhew has said he plans to continue his term as a selectman, which expires in May.
``As far as continuing on (with the board), this doesn't cloud my thinking or affect my decision making with the Board of Selectmen,'' he said on Sunday. ``I made a mistake and I will pay for it.''

---

vBulletin Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited.
vB Easy Archive Final ©2000 - 2008 - Created by Stefan "Xenon" Kaeser