'Dazed' Driver Arrested for DUI after Nearly Colliding With Police Cruiser

On March 22 while on patrol, a police officer was traveling on South Avenue approaching the north side entrance ramp on South Avenue when the officer observed a black colored vehicle traveling the wrong way southbound on the ramp.

The vehicle then exited the ramp, took a left-hand turn onto South Avenue traveling east toward the police car in the officer’s traveling lane at a high rate of speed.

As the vehicle was quickly approaching the police car, the officer quickly pulled over to the far right-hand side of the lane to avoid a collision.

The vehicle then pulled to its far right and continued to travel eastbound in the proper travel lane at a high rate of speed.

Police quickly turned around his vehicle and attempted to stop the car by activating its light, but the vehicle began speeding up and then proceeded through a red light at about 45 miles per hour without attempting to stop.

The vehicle then went on Main Street and increased its speed to about 55 mph while the pursuing officer made numerous attempts to signal the vehicle to stop, including sounding the police car’s siren in addition to the lights.

Crossing both double yellow lines, the vehicle continued south on Main Street and ran another red light at Main and Elm, “again without any regard to any vehicle traffic,” according to the police report.

The car driver continued to ignore signals to stop and continued on Stratford Road at rates of speed up to 60 mph, then began swerving from side to side and finally coming to a stop on Stratford Road and Maureen Street.

The officer approached the driver’s side door and could smell “a very strong odor” of alcohol. However, with backup officers on the scene, police reported that the driver’s side door was locked and the “operator was in a daze.”

When instructing the operator, later identified as Mark Carthwait, 40, of Clinton, to unlock the door, “he appeared to have been disheveled.” He was again instructed to turn the ignition off and unlock the door but he refused, slurring his words and with a strong smell of alcohol still present. 

Police were able to reach into the car and unlock the door and Garthwait exited the vehicle, after which he failed several field sobriety tests.

Garthwait was arrested and taken to headquarters where he was read and signed a Warning and Waiver of Rights Form and was administered a breath test. The first registered .2068; a second test .2034, well above the legal limit.

He was then charged with failure to drive right, engaging police in pursuit, reckless driving, and driving under the influence. Bond was set at $1,500 and he was placed in cell two after failing to post bond. Court was scheduled for April 5.