NORTON, MASS. (WHDH) - A Norton police officer was arrested over the weekend on a charge of operating under the influence and placed on leave after officials say he fled the scene of a crash that left a woman injured — and prosecutors asked for a warrant to be issued after he initially failed to appear in court Monday.
Officers responding to a report of a crash at the intersection West Main Street and Taunton Avenue on Saturday around 1 a.m. spoke with the driver of a Nissan Maxima who said that she was struck by the driver of Dodge Durango who fled the scene, police said. The woman was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Witnesses described the driver, later identified as Joshua Archer, 31, as hard to understand and smelling of alcohol. Police found Archer parked in a nearby driveway with his engine running and he told them he was drinking earlier, according to police reports.
Archer arrested on charges of operating under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury and was scheduled to be arraigned in Attleboro District Court Monday. But he did not appear, and his attorney said he entered a treatment program over the weekend and was not trying to run from anything.
But prosecutors asked for a warrant to bring him to court and the judge agreed.
“Clearly Mr. Archer is not above the law,” prosecutor Danielle Pixley said.
Norton appeared later in the day and was arraigned, pleading not guilty.
Archer, a patrol officer for the past eight years, is on leave pending an internal investigation, according to the Norton Police Department.
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