Crime & Safety

Police Log: Drunk Driver Arrested and Suspicious Man Looking for his Cat

This is an excerpt of the Winchester Police Log from Friday, September 10 through Monday, September 13.

Friday, Sep. 10, 11:41 a.m. – A Winchester man came to the police station to report that his tools were stolen from his truck on Washington Street. The tools, which cost approximately $300, were taken either Tuesday or Wednesday.

4:34 p.m. – Police were called to Cambridge Street and Church Street where a driver was operating his car erratically. The officer noticed the driver swerving on the street and crossing over the double-yellow lines. The officer pulled the Honda Accord over along Bacon Street.

 When the car pulled over, the driver hit the curb twice. When the officer asked for his license and registration, he smelt alcohol on the driver's breath. The driver informed the police that he suffered from diabetes. The officer took his blood-sugar lever, but it was normal.

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The driver, James Hastings, was ordered to recite the alphabet, and on three separate occasions he failed to get through the alphabet correctly. Hastings then was asked to raise one leg and hold it there for 15 seconds – he failed that test as well.

After failing the nine-step test, where Hastings was asked to walk in a straight line, the officer then searched the car. He found a full bottle of Jim Beam whiskey and an empty bottle of Canadian Club Whiskey both in separate brown paper bags under the driver's seat.

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Hastings was then arrested for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor. Hastings took a blood alcohol test and had a level of .23.

Saturday, Sep. 11, 12:18 p.m. – A woman informed police that there was unlawful activity on her credit card. An online computer store called S-7 Computer Solutions charged the card $471.38. The credit card company flagged the purchase and it did not go through. The company gave the police the man's name and address who used the card, but it does not appear to be a legitimate address; it's in Southbury MA.

2:15 p.m. – While on patrol an officer noticed a Toyota corolla driving down Johnson Road and sped right through a stop sign. When the car saw the officer, the driver slammed on the breaks, but didn't stop in time. The driver then quickly turned down another road and began to speed up. The officer clocked the car at 45 miles per hour. The car sped into Lexington, and the officer was told not to follow it. The officer is sending out a citation to the address.

 

9:22 p.m. – The police were called to Nelson Street where a homeowner noticed a suspicious man walking on his property. The man had a grey-hooded sweatshirt and shorts. When a car drove by the man jumped into the bushes. And then when the homeowner came outside the man ran away.

The police sent out a description of the man. And about two hours later Winchester Police spotted the man at Oak Street. When the officers asked him what he was doing, the man stated that he was looking for his cat, which ran away earlier this evening.


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