Nov. 23--A state police captain who led Saugus cops on a chase Saturday night, veering over the center yellow line "numerous times" before finally stopping, apparently was not given a Breathalyzer or field sobriety test, even though town police reported smelling alcohol, a state police supervisor reported signs of intoxication, and he had an empty beer bottle in his cruiser, police said.
State police Capt. Thomas McCarthy, 47, of Stoneham failed to show up for his arraignment yesterday on a charge of failure to stop for a police officer and failure to stay in marked lanes, and is in a "facility" in Florida, the judge was told. He has been suspended indefinitely without pay from his post as shift commander for Troop C in central Massachusetts.
McCarthy appeared indignant when patrolman James Scott asked him to turn off his engine after smelling alcohol on him, according to a police report.
"You've got to be kidding me. I'm outta here," McCarthy said, the report states.
Scott first spotted McCarthy at about 10:30 p.m. on Saville Street.
McCarthy took off after being pulled over, the report states, and three cruisers followed him as he blew through a stop sign and onto Route 1. As they passed Square One Mall, McCarthy turned into the Sears parking lot and came to a stop.
Scott ordered McCarthy "numerous times" to turn off the car and toss the keys out, his report said, but McCarthy refused.
When he finally got out, Scott told him he was under arrest, and McCarthy repeated again, "Are you kidding me?" and resisted being handcuffed, police said. Inside the unmarked Crown Victoria state police cruiser, Scott found an empty bottle of Miller beer on the back seat floor and two unopened bottles, the report said.
A state police commander who met McCarthy at the Saugus police station noticed he showed signs of intoxication, said state police spokesman David Procopio.
Scott's report, while noting a smell of alcohol on McCarthy's breath, makes no mention of him being asked to take a Breathalyzer or field sobriety test. Saugus police did not return calls yesterday. An Essex District Attorney's Office spokesman said an investigation is ongoing but declined to comment further. But he said, "Our understanding is that no, he was not (alcohol tested by Saugus police)."
Procopio added, "The department is disappointed he saw fit not to show up at his arraignment. Every person who gets arrested has to. Why he thinks he is any different is a mystery."
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