Drunk driver steals vehicle, hits tree, flees

Photo:

Joshua Drouin 

NORWAY — A driver who was under the influence of alcohol and drugs last Wednesday drove a car he stole over a curb,  smashed it into a tree, then fled the scene on foot, according to a report by Norway Officer Stephen Cronce. 

The accident happened at 11:27 p.m. at the intersection of Cottage and Beal streets. The vehicle is registered to Marcia Berube of Lewiston. 

"Both airbags had deployed and there was a strong odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle," Cronce wrote. 

The driver of the vehicle, Joshua Drouin, 22, of South Paris, was arrested for Operating Under the Influence, Operating without a License and Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle.

Following the accident, a witness noticed Drouin running down Beal Street toward the police department after he crashed the green Ford Focus he had stolen from 7 King Street, the report states. 

In addition to deployed airbags, Cronce reported that the accident caused three flat tires and heavy damage to the front end of the vehicle. Drouin was not injured. 

Paris Police assisted Cronce in trying to locate Drouin. Around 11:30 p.m., three minutes after police were called, Cronce located him on Winter Street. 

"I smelled the strong odor of intoxicants on his breath," Cronce reported. 

According to Cronce, Drouin admitted to drinking alcohol all day at 7 King Street, and said he was walking back to his home in South Paris. When asked if he knew anything about the accident, Drouin replied, "no."

"I located an unopened can of Natural Ice in the center cupholder, another partly empty can under the seat and an empty crushed can behind the passenger's side. There was an empty can of High Gravity Lager behind the driver's seat," Cronce explained in the report. 

"He said ...  he wasn't driving and with no clear evidence to prove otherwise at the time, I took his information and released him." 

At 12:17 a.m., about an hour later, Oxford County Dispatch received a 911 hang-up call from Drouin who stated he was driving a Ford Focus during the time of the accident, Cronce said.

Drouin had admitted to lying to police and said he wanted to come clean and face charges, he said. 

According to Cronce, Drouin stated he was "on cocaine, drunk and does not have a driver's license," that "he deserved to go to jail," and asked police to arrest him. 

In addition to driving under the influence, Drouin admitted to speeding, Cronce reported. 

When asked if he was given permission to use the car, Drouin said, "Nobody knows I took the car," Cronce explained. He admitted to stealing the keys to the Focus after a party at 7 King Street, once everyone was asleep, and attempted to drive home, Cronce reported. 

According to Cronce, Drouin has performed sobriety tests and has been administered a blood test which is being processed at the Maine Health and Environmental Testing Lab. 

Drouin is scheduled to appear in court January 17, 2013.