By Jim Clark

At approximately 1:30 a.m. last Friday, a Somerville Police officer on patrol observed a vehicle take a right off of Somerville Ave. onto Medford St. As the vehicle traveled toward officer on Medford St., he estimated the speed of the vehicle to be 50 mph.

The officer turned his cruiser around and could not see the vehicle’s taillights. He continued down Medford St. and in the parking lot of 61 Medford St. he noticed the headlights of the vehicle he had been pursuing.

The officer pulled into the parking lot, activated his emergency lights, and radioed dispatch to request additional backup units.

The officer reportedly observed the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Michael Altieri, of Watertown, standing outside the vehicle urinating with the driver side door open and vehicle running, headlights on and parked at an angle disregarding the designated parking lines.

The officer asked Altieri what he was doing and he reportedly confirmed that he was urinating.

When asked why he was speeding, Altieri reportedly said that he did not think he was going that fast, but he had to urinate.

According to reports, the officer detected the odor of alcohol emanating from Altieri’s breath. He asked Altieri how much he had to drink, and he reportedly stated he had a couple of beers.  Altieri later said that he had four drinks, according to the officer’s account.

Altieri agreed to perform some basic roadside coordination assessments, and indicated that he understood each of the assessments.

Based on the results of the field tests, the officer placed Altieri under arrest and he was transported to the police station in the prisoner transport and booked on charges of operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor and speeding.

At the station, he refused to take a blood alcohol test. The test was attempted three separate times. Altieri’s license was seized based upon his blood alcohol test refusal.