BOSTON (WHDH) - A repeat drunken driver who nearly struck two Boston police officers Wednesday night near Fenway Park as the Red Sox game was getting out has been ordered held without bail.
James Jumper, 58, was arraigned Thursday in Roxbury District Court on 16 charges, including operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, assault with a dangerous weapon, operating to endanger and operating a motor vehicle after a suspension or revocation.
Officers on foot assigned to Fenway Park spotted Jumper driving a Ford Explorer erratically on Brookline Avenue about 11:05 p.m., police said. While making several attempts to stop the vehicle, police say Jumper nearly struck two officers on two separate occasions.
Jumper’s SUV first jumped the sidewalk near Buckminster Hotel as Red Sox fans funneled into the street and continued on toward the Cask’n Flagon, police said.
“The driver of the vehicle shook his head, rambled an incoherent sentence and attempted to strike Officer Kearney with his vehicle,” a police report said.
A short time later, his SUV jumped another curb in front of Boston Beer Works, nearly mowing down a second officer and a crowd of people, according to the report.
Brian Jumper, the suspect’s brother, says he was recently released from prison after serving a 10-year stint, living in the car and operating without a license.
“He was supposed to just be sleeping and not operating it,” Brian said. “It can’t steer properly.”
Brian Jumper said his brother has struggled with alcohol addiction for a long time.
“He’s been out for 18 months,” Brian said. “He’s been doing the best he can…he picked up alcohol again and started sporadically drinking again, which has been a problem for him in the past.”
Jumper has multiple OUI convictions on his record, according to court documents. Officers found a bottle of malt liquor and a mug filled with alcohol in the car, police said.
“I believe he just got scared,” Brian said. “He knew he didn’t have any license, he knew that it wasn’t registered. I don’t know why he tried to move it or was behind the wheel.”
He will be called back to court at a later date.
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