Man shuns taxi ride, faces third OUI charge
PITTSFIELD -- A city man was arrested for an alleged third drunken-driving offense after a police officer called a taxi for him but he chose to drive away instead.
Jeffrey Hanford, 36, of Edison Avenue was arrested for third-offense operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, failing to stop for a police officer and resisting arrest.
Admitted drinking 12 beers
At 2:19 a.m. on Saturday, Pitts-field Police responded to Seymour Street for a report of gunshots, which turned out to be unfounded. In the area of the 19th Hole bar, officers found three men walking toward a pickup.
As police approached, Hanford bent over and put the keys to the truck on the ground. Asked about his actions, he allegedly admitted that he put the keys down so that officers would not think he was driving and admitted to having drank 12 beers, according to a police report on file in Central Berkshire District Court.
Officers called a taxi to take Hanford home, but while waiting for it to arrive, Hanford allegedly became belligerent and began yelling and swearing at police.
At some point, Hanford walked away and the officer drove around the block. When he re-turned, the officer saw the pickup truck pulling out of the parking lot.
Hanford drove up Wahconah Street to North Street, then to Orchard Street without stopping for police. At that point there were two cruisers with lights flashing behind him. When he turned onto Maud Street, he encountered a third cruiser coming toward him.
Hanford stopped on Maud Street and got out of the truck, police said. He allegedly struggled with officers when they tried to arrest him.
Arraigned in District Court on Monday morning, Hanford was released on personal recognizance and the case was continued to Dec. 18 for a pretrial hearing.