WESTFIELD – A Southampton man who was arrested for motor vehicle charges Tuesday morning apparently was so pleased with his accommodations at the Westfield Police Department that he refused to leave – and was arrested again.
At 11:38 Tuesday morning a motorist called city police to report that he was following an erratic operator on Elm Street.
The caller said that the SUV had struck a street sign near the intersection with Franklin Street and then continued to North Elm Street were the 2012 Dodge Durango struck a second street sign at Princeton Street.
A second caller reported that the same SUV had struck the curbing on Clay Hill and crossed the roadway to strike the curbing on the opposite side.
There, the operator over corrected and recrossed the road, coming to rest on the northbound side of Elm Street.
Minutes earlier, Officer Michael Bradley had been advised by a clerk at a gas station and convenience store at Franklin and Elm Streets of a possibly intoxicated driver who had left the station in a vehicle.
Bradley and Officer Jose Torres both found the vehicle on Clay Hill and Bradley reports that the operator, later found to be Richard E. Schmidt, 35, of 103 Pomeroy Meadow Road, Southampton, was inside the vehicle and said that he was not injured.
When Schmidt exited the vehicle Bradley noticed he was unsteady on his feet and detected an odor of alcohol on his breath.
Schmidt said that he had been drinking alcohol earlier in the morning and agreed to attempt field sobriety tests which he failed.
Torres reports that both passenger side tires of the vehicle had been flattened and it was towed to the police impound yard.
Schmidt was arrested for operating under the influence of liquor and for reckless operation of a motor vehicle.
His father came to get him but Schmidt did not want to leave the station and argued with the shift commander, Lt. Paul Kousch, drawing the attention of other officers and civilians in the station. Officer Allen Madgycz reports Schmidt was yelling and flailing his arms causing others in the lobby to retreat to a corner to avoid contact until he was persuaded to leave by his father and officers Magdycz, Michael Gibbons and Michael Garcia.
Magdycz reports that, once outside, Schmidt continued to rant and made threats against the officers involved.
Magdycz reports that Schmidt refused to calm down and began to draw the attention of passing motorists who slowed to see what was causing the commotion.
Schmidt was again arrested, this time for disorderly conduct.
He was arraigned Wednesday in Westfield District Court and released on his personal recognizance pending a Feb. 10 pre-trial hearing on the three charges.
