Arlington police on a pre-dawn patrol near Hurd Field in late April heard a loud scraping noise coming from Mass. Ave. and Drake Road, near the border with Lexington.
What was that jarring sound? An officer saw a gray Jeep Grand Cherokee headed westbound on Mass. Ave. -- with two missing tires.
After investigating, police charged Jennithan Cortes, 55, of Worcester, with operating under the influence (first offense) and a marked-lane violation.
The incident, reported at 1:26 a.m. Saturday, April 29, drew four officers from Arlington and two from Lexington.
Cortes told police that he did not know how the the front and rear passenger-side tires went missing. He said he had had a few beers while watching the Bruins with friends in Waltham and that he was aiming to drive home.
A police report says that in seeking a motor-vehicle stop near Mass. Ave. at Drake, an officer saw the vehicle cross the marked yellow lines in the center of the road before coming to a complete stop on the right side of the road near 131 Mass. Ave., Lexington.
An officer spoke to the operator, who appeared to be confused and who said, "I believe there is something wrong with my car." The operator's speech was slurred, and he emitted a strong odor of alcohol, the officer reported.
Asked whether he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, Cortes responded that he was not, the report said.
The officer asked Cortes if he would be willing to do a Standard Field Sobriety Test and Portable Breathe Test, "to which he denied," the report said.
April 10, 2023: Town man, 56, with vision issues, missing since March 20
This news summary was published Wednesday, May 10, 2023, based on information from an Arlington Police Department report.
