By Owen Boss
Staff Writer
EASTHAMPTON - A Florence man denied drunken-driving charges Wednesday after he allegedly rammed another vehicle on Liberty Street Tuesday and kept going.
Michael J. McCoy, 44, of 186 Glendale Road, Florence, pleaded innocent Wednesday in Northampton District Court to charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, third offense, and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident with property damage.
At 2:08 p.m. Tuesday, Easthampton police responded to a report that a motorist had been struck from behind by a pickup truck on Liberty Street, according to court documents.
As officers Gary Shepard and William Mielke arrived at the scene, they were waved down by Allan Doe, 61, of Nonotuck Street in Florence, who told them that his 2001 Saab sedan had been struck by a gray truck with a row of yellow lights on the roof.
Soon after, Mielke reportedly located a 1988 GMC pickup that matched Doe's description turning off Main Street and onto Glendale Street.
When Mielke approached the truck, he noted McCoy's speech was slurred and that McCoy had "a long string of drool coming out of the left side of his mouth," according to court documents.
After getting out of the truck, McCoy reportedly told police that he had only had one beer earlier in the day. Police arrested him after he refused to undergo a series of field sobriety tests.
Judge Richard J. Carey ordered McCoy released on his own recognizance on the condition that he avoid alcohol and submit to random screenings and scheduled him to appear for a pretrial hearing on Nov. 5.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.
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