Woman dies in DUI accident
By Lissa Harris/[email protected]
Friday, June 17, 2005
Phillips Street resident Heather Albertson, 25, was driving down Bridge Street last night, Thursday, June 16, when her car was struck head-on by a speeding pickup truck. She died at the scene.
Today, Folly Pond Road resident James Cloutman, 40, was charged with vehicular homicide at Salem District Court for Albertson's death. Prosecutors described the accident as a hit-and-run by a drunken driver who fled the scene on foot. Cloutman pleaded not guilty.
Cloutman was led into the courtroom by police, wearing a thin, white jumpsuit with his hands cuffed in front of him. Throughout the proceedings, he remained quiet, his brow furrowed.
Prosecuting attorney Mark Dewan laid out an account of the previous night's events.
At around 10 p.m., a man was driving down Bridge Street when his driver's side door was struck at high speed by a passing Dodge Ram pickup truck. The man pursued the truck in an attempt to get the license plate number, said Dewan, but was unable to catch up with the speeding truck.
About half a mile down the road, near the Beverly-Danvers town line, the man came across the scene of the accident: a Saturn wrecked in the road, and the pickup truck lying about 60 feet away near a house at the bottom of an embankment. The driver was nowhere to be seen, Dewan said.
The truck had hit the house, whose inhabitants at first thought the noise was thunder from the rainstorm outside, Dewan said.
Dewan said Albertson, the driver of the Saturn, was assisted by a couple of "good Samaritans" who held her hand and performed CPR on her. When fire and ambulance personnel arrived on the scene, they used the "Jaws of Life" to get Albertson out of the car.
When Dewan described Albertson's death, Cloutman closed his eyes, shaking his head slowly from side to side.
Dewan said that Cloutman had run away from the scene of the accident, covered in mud, blood, and grass, and knocked on the door of a house nearby, pleading with the resident to hide him from the police.
Shortly thereafter, Officer Scott Frost, of the Danvers police, found and arrested Cloutman walking down Elliot Street in Danvers. After a brief investigation, he was turned over to the Beverly Police Department. [continue]
Woman dies in DUI accident
By Lissa Harris/[email protected]
Friday, June 17, 2005
Phillips Street resident Heather Albertson, 25, was driving down Bridge Street last night, Thursday, June 16, when her car was struck head-on by a speeding pickup truck. She died at the scene.
Today, Folly Pond Road resident James Cloutman, 40, was charged with vehicular homicide at Salem District Court for Albertson's death. Prosecutors described the accident as a hit-and-run by a drunken driver who fled the scene on foot. Cloutman pleaded not guilty.
Cloutman was led into the courtroom by police, wearing a thin, white jumpsuit with his hands cuffed in front of him. Throughout the proceedings, he remained quiet, his brow furrowed.
Prosecuting attorney Mark Dewan laid out an account of the previous night's events.
At around 10 p.m., a man was driving down Bridge Street when his driver's side door was struck at high speed by a passing Dodge Ram pickup truck. The man pursued the truck in an attempt to get the license plate number, said Dewan, but was unable to catch up with the speeding truck.
About half a mile down the road, near the Beverly-Danvers town line, the man came across the scene of the accident: a Saturn wrecked in the road, and the pickup truck lying about 60 feet away near a house at the bottom of an embankment. The driver was nowhere to be seen, Dewan said.
The truck had hit the house, whose inhabitants at first thought the noise was thunder from the rainstorm outside, Dewan said.
Dewan said Albertson, the driver of the Saturn, was assisted by a couple of "good Samaritans" who held her hand and performed CPR on her. When fire and ambulance personnel arrived on the scene, they used the "Jaws of Life" to get Albertson out of the car.
When Dewan described Albertson's death, Cloutman closed his eyes, shaking his head slowly from side to side.
Dewan said that Cloutman had run away from the scene of the accident, covered in mud, blood, and grass, and knocked on the door of a house nearby, pleading with the resident to hide him from the police.
Shortly thereafter, Officer Scott Frost, of the Danvers police, found and arrested Cloutman walking down Elliot Street in Danvers. After a brief investigation, he was turned over to the Beverly Police Department. [continue]
Woman dies in DUI accident
By Lissa Harris/[email protected]
Friday, June 17, 2005
Phillips Street resident Heather Albertson, 25, was driving down Bridge Street last night, Thursday, June 16, when her car was struck head-on by a speeding pickup truck. She died at the scene.
Today, Folly Pond Road resident James Cloutman, 40, was charged with vehicular homicide at Salem District Court for Albertson's death. Prosecutors described the accident as a hit-and-run by a drunken driver who fled the scene on foot. Cloutman pleaded not guilty.
Cloutman was led into the courtroom by police, wearing a thin, white jumpsuit with his hands cuffed in front of him. Throughout the proceedings, he remained quiet, his brow furrowed.
Prosecuting attorney Mark Dewan laid out an account of the previous night's events.
At around 10 p.m., a man was driving down Bridge Street when his driver's side door was struck at high speed by a passing Dodge Ram pickup truck. The man pursued the truck in an attempt to get the license plate number, said Dewan, but was unable to catch up with the speeding truck.
About half a mile down the road, near the Beverly-Danvers town line, the man came across the scene of the accident: a Saturn wrecked in the road, and the pickup truck lying about 60 feet away near a house at the bottom of an embankment. The driver was nowhere to be seen, Dewan said.
The truck had hit the house, whose inhabitants at first thought the noise was thunder from the rainstorm outside, Dewan said.
Dewan said Albertson, the driver of the Saturn, was assisted by a couple of "good Samaritans" who held her hand and performed CPR on her. When fire and ambulance personnel arrived on the scene, they used the "Jaws of Life" to get Albertson out of the car.
When Dewan described Albertson's death, Cloutman closed his eyes, shaking his head slowly from side to side.
Dewan said that Cloutman had run away from the scene of the accident, covered in mud, blood, and grass, and knocked on the door of a house nearby, pleading with the resident to hide him from the police.
Shortly thereafter, Officer Scott Frost, of the Danvers police, found and arrested Cloutman walking down Elliot Street in Danvers. After a brief investigation, he was turned over to the Beverly Police Department. [continue]
When the police questioned Cloutman, Dewan said, he gave them a false name, and said that he had been walking home from his girlfriend's house. Later, the man whose door he had allegedly knocked on identified him as the man who had asked to be hidden from police.
"Please don't tell me it was fatal," Cloutman reportedly later told police.
Dewan told the judge that Cloutman had 14 prior convictions, five of which had been in some way alcohol-related. The prosecution asked for $250,000 bail, in light of the defendant's prior convictions.
Cloutman's court-appointed lawyer, Lawrence McGuire, objected to the prosecutor's high bail request, saying that Cloutman had strong family ties in the area and that he had not been charged with any crime in the last eight years.
Judge Dennis Healey ordered Cloutman held on $75,000 bail. If he makes his bail, Cloutman will be ordered to report to probation weekly, have his license suspended, be forbidden to use drugs or alcohol, and be subjected to random drug and alcohol testing. He is currently being held at the Middleton Jail.
On late Friday afternoon, Lt. Michael Sungy of the Beverly Police Department told the Citizen he could not release a police report of the incident.
Cloutman has been charged with vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, operating under the influence of liquor, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident after causing death, speeding, a marked lanes violation and refusal to give police his name and address. He pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment, which was at noon on Friday, June 17.
A probable cause hearing is slated for July 6.
Good job to Scott Frost on his captures of this scum bag that tried to get away.
By Lissa Harris/[email protected]
Friday, June 17, 2005
Phillips Street resident Heather Albertson, 25, was driving down Bridge Street last night, Thursday, June 16, when her car was struck head-on by a speeding pickup truck. She died at the scene.
Today, Folly Pond Road resident James Cloutman, 40, was charged with vehicular homicide at Salem District Court for Albertson's death. Prosecutors described the accident as a hit-and-run by a drunken driver who fled the scene on foot. Cloutman pleaded not guilty.
Cloutman was led into the courtroom by police, wearing a thin, white jumpsuit with his hands cuffed in front of him. Throughout the proceedings, he remained quiet, his brow furrowed.
Prosecuting attorney Mark Dewan laid out an account of the previous night's events.
At around 10 p.m., a man was driving down Bridge Street when his driver's side door was struck at high speed by a passing Dodge Ram pickup truck. The man pursued the truck in an attempt to get the license plate number, said Dewan, but was unable to catch up with the speeding truck.
About half a mile down the road, near the Beverly-Danvers town line, the man came across the scene of the accident: a Saturn wrecked in the road, and the pickup truck lying about 60 feet away near a house at the bottom of an embankment. The driver was nowhere to be seen, Dewan said.
The truck had hit the house, whose inhabitants at first thought the noise was thunder from the rainstorm outside, Dewan said.
Dewan said Albertson, the driver of the Saturn, was assisted by a couple of "good Samaritans" who held her hand and performed CPR on her. When fire and ambulance personnel arrived on the scene, they used the "Jaws of Life" to get Albertson out of the car.
When Dewan described Albertson's death, Cloutman closed his eyes, shaking his head slowly from side to side.
Dewan said that Cloutman had run away from the scene of the accident, covered in mud, blood, and grass, and knocked on the door of a house nearby, pleading with the resident to hide him from the police.
Shortly thereafter, Officer Scott Frost, of the Danvers police, found and arrested Cloutman walking down Elliot Street in Danvers. After a brief investigation, he was turned over to the Beverly Police Department. [continue]
Woman dies in DUI accident
By Lissa Harris/[email protected]
Friday, June 17, 2005
Phillips Street resident Heather Albertson, 25, was driving down Bridge Street last night, Thursday, June 16, when her car was struck head-on by a speeding pickup truck. She died at the scene.
Today, Folly Pond Road resident James Cloutman, 40, was charged with vehicular homicide at Salem District Court for Albertson's death. Prosecutors described the accident as a hit-and-run by a drunken driver who fled the scene on foot. Cloutman pleaded not guilty.
Cloutman was led into the courtroom by police, wearing a thin, white jumpsuit with his hands cuffed in front of him. Throughout the proceedings, he remained quiet, his brow furrowed.
Prosecuting attorney Mark Dewan laid out an account of the previous night's events.
At around 10 p.m., a man was driving down Bridge Street when his driver's side door was struck at high speed by a passing Dodge Ram pickup truck. The man pursued the truck in an attempt to get the license plate number, said Dewan, but was unable to catch up with the speeding truck.
About half a mile down the road, near the Beverly-Danvers town line, the man came across the scene of the accident: a Saturn wrecked in the road, and the pickup truck lying about 60 feet away near a house at the bottom of an embankment. The driver was nowhere to be seen, Dewan said.
The truck had hit the house, whose inhabitants at first thought the noise was thunder from the rainstorm outside, Dewan said.
Dewan said Albertson, the driver of the Saturn, was assisted by a couple of "good Samaritans" who held her hand and performed CPR on her. When fire and ambulance personnel arrived on the scene, they used the "Jaws of Life" to get Albertson out of the car.
When Dewan described Albertson's death, Cloutman closed his eyes, shaking his head slowly from side to side.
Dewan said that Cloutman had run away from the scene of the accident, covered in mud, blood, and grass, and knocked on the door of a house nearby, pleading with the resident to hide him from the police.
Shortly thereafter, Officer Scott Frost, of the Danvers police, found and arrested Cloutman walking down Elliot Street in Danvers. After a brief investigation, he was turned over to the Beverly Police Department. [continue]
Woman dies in DUI accident
By Lissa Harris/[email protected]
Friday, June 17, 2005
Phillips Street resident Heather Albertson, 25, was driving down Bridge Street last night, Thursday, June 16, when her car was struck head-on by a speeding pickup truck. She died at the scene.
Today, Folly Pond Road resident James Cloutman, 40, was charged with vehicular homicide at Salem District Court for Albertson's death. Prosecutors described the accident as a hit-and-run by a drunken driver who fled the scene on foot. Cloutman pleaded not guilty.
Cloutman was led into the courtroom by police, wearing a thin, white jumpsuit with his hands cuffed in front of him. Throughout the proceedings, he remained quiet, his brow furrowed.
Prosecuting attorney Mark Dewan laid out an account of the previous night's events.
At around 10 p.m., a man was driving down Bridge Street when his driver's side door was struck at high speed by a passing Dodge Ram pickup truck. The man pursued the truck in an attempt to get the license plate number, said Dewan, but was unable to catch up with the speeding truck.
About half a mile down the road, near the Beverly-Danvers town line, the man came across the scene of the accident: a Saturn wrecked in the road, and the pickup truck lying about 60 feet away near a house at the bottom of an embankment. The driver was nowhere to be seen, Dewan said.
The truck had hit the house, whose inhabitants at first thought the noise was thunder from the rainstorm outside, Dewan said.
Dewan said Albertson, the driver of the Saturn, was assisted by a couple of "good Samaritans" who held her hand and performed CPR on her. When fire and ambulance personnel arrived on the scene, they used the "Jaws of Life" to get Albertson out of the car.
When Dewan described Albertson's death, Cloutman closed his eyes, shaking his head slowly from side to side.
Dewan said that Cloutman had run away from the scene of the accident, covered in mud, blood, and grass, and knocked on the door of a house nearby, pleading with the resident to hide him from the police.
Shortly thereafter, Officer Scott Frost, of the Danvers police, found and arrested Cloutman walking down Elliot Street in Danvers. After a brief investigation, he was turned over to the Beverly Police Department. [continue]
When the police questioned Cloutman, Dewan said, he gave them a false name, and said that he had been walking home from his girlfriend's house. Later, the man whose door he had allegedly knocked on identified him as the man who had asked to be hidden from police.
"Please don't tell me it was fatal," Cloutman reportedly later told police.
Dewan told the judge that Cloutman had 14 prior convictions, five of which had been in some way alcohol-related. The prosecution asked for $250,000 bail, in light of the defendant's prior convictions.
Cloutman's court-appointed lawyer, Lawrence McGuire, objected to the prosecutor's high bail request, saying that Cloutman had strong family ties in the area and that he had not been charged with any crime in the last eight years.
Judge Dennis Healey ordered Cloutman held on $75,000 bail. If he makes his bail, Cloutman will be ordered to report to probation weekly, have his license suspended, be forbidden to use drugs or alcohol, and be subjected to random drug and alcohol testing. He is currently being held at the Middleton Jail.
On late Friday afternoon, Lt. Michael Sungy of the Beverly Police Department told the Citizen he could not release a police report of the incident.
Cloutman has been charged with vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, operating under the influence of liquor, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident after causing death, speeding, a marked lanes violation and refusal to give police his name and address. He pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment, which was at noon on Friday, June 17.
A probable cause hearing is slated for July 6.
Good job to Scott Frost on his captures of this scum bag that tried to get away.
