BOSTON (WHDH) - A Boston Police officer charged in a destructive crash that resulted in injury early New Year’s morning appeared in court Friday on drunken driving charges.
Officer Domenic Columbo pleaded not guilty in Dorchester District Court, more than a month after a horrific crash that left a man with serious injuries.
Police say Columbo was off duty, drunk and speeding in his personal truck when he slammed into another car around 3:30 a.m. on Jan. 1.
The crash was caught on nearby surveillance video. Based on blood tests, prosecutors believe Columbo’s blood-alcohol level was .11 or more.
The crash happened at Columbia Road and Ceylon Street. Court documents show a passenger in the car Columbo’s accused of hitting suffered a life-threatening brain injury, kidney and spleen injuries, as well as pelvis, leg and rib fractures.
Columbo suffered a cut to his forehead and a fractured vertebra in his neck. The driver of the other vehicle suffered minor injuries.
In court, a prosecutor didn’t ask for bail, but did ask that Columbo keep his distance from the victim’s family.
“The commonwealth does not have a bail request. We would just ask that there be a stay away from the victim’s family,” Assistant DA Greer Spatz said.
The judge ordered Columbo to stay away from the victim’s family.
Columbo, a six-year veteran, is on paid leave. He is due back in court in March
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