By Jim Clark

Somerville Police officers were dispatched to the intersection of Washington Street and Myrtle Street last week on reports of a motor vehicle accident with injuries.

Upon arrival, the officers observed a vehicle in the street turned sideways with heavy damage to the driver’s side rear quarter panel. The driver’s side curtain airbags were also deployed.

The officers located the driver and passenger standing away from the car in the bus stop. The vehicle’s driver complained of left side pain and told police that she was heading westbound on Washington Street when a car that was speeding hit the driver’s side of her vehicle and spun her car sideways. The car then took off and she was assisted by a witness.

The vehicle’s passenger complained of neck pain and stated that he was getting an Uber ride by the driver when the car was struck and spun around. Both parties complained of injuries, but refused medical treatment at the time.

The officers also spoke with a witness, who stated that he was driving westbound on Washington Street, approximately two cars behind the suspect’s vehicle, when he observed it strike the victim’s vehicle and then flee up Myrtle Street. The vehicle directly in front of his followed the suspect’s vehicle while the witness assisted the victim and her passenger.

Police caught up with the striking vehicle and its operator, Brandon Daughtrey, of Woburn, at a Myrtle Street location.

They asked Daughtrey what had taken place and he reportedly stated that he was involved in an accident, where a vehicle hit him and he pulled over right away. Daughtrey further stated he believed the vehicle that was following him was the vehicle that he was involved in the accident with.

Daughtrey was asked where he was coming from that night and he said at his girlfriend’s house. When asked where that was, he said on Washington Street, but couldn’t provide police with a street number.

Daughtrey also reportedly kept saying that he pulled over right away after the accident and waited for the police to arrive for 20-30 minutes, and he even stated an hour at one point, but then committed to 30 minutes.

The officers informed Daughtrey that the accident took place all the way at the end of the road (approximately 200 yards) and that the response time was not 30 minutes. They asked him if he had consumed any alcohol that night, to which he denied having done so.

During the conversation with Daughtrey, the officers observed him to be unsteady on his feet, his speech slurred, and his eyes were glassy and bloodshot.

The officers asked Daughtrey if he would be willing to perform field sobriety testing due to the suspicion of him being impaired, to which he agreed.

Prior to administering the test, Daughtrey was evaluated and medically cleared by EMT personnel. He was also asked if he had any medical conditions that would hinder him from performing these tests, and which he denied having any. The test was administered in the driveway of a Myrtle Street residence, on a well-lighted, flat, non-slippery surface.

After failing to pass the field sobriety text, Daughtrey was placed under arrest on charges of leaving the scene of personal injury, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, and operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor. He was subsequently taken to the station for booking on these charges.

Once back at the station, the officers were able to speak with an additional witness via phone, who said he was following behind the victim’s vehicle. He observed Daughtrey’s vehicle in the distance apparently revving his engine before colliding with the victim’s vehicle.

The witness also stated that Daughtrey then immediately attempted to flee up Myrtle Street before finally coming to rest in front of a Myrtle Street residence. He observed Daughtrey attempt to exit the vehicle, but told him to stay inside until the police arrived.