By Jim Clark

Somerville Police officers were dispatched to the 1 Davis Square area last Friday on reports of a motor vehicle accident.

Upon arrival, the officers discovered two motor vehicles in the roadway at the intersection of College Ave. and Elm St.

One vehicle was facing the wrong direction and headed north bound on College Ave. This particular south bound portion of College Ave is a one way. The other vehicle was facing the correct direction on College Ave.

The driver of the vehicle traveling in the correct direction told police they were driving south bound on College Ave. heading into Davis Sq. when the other vehicle drove straight off of Day St. driving the wrong direction onto College Ave. and then collided with his vehicle in the front driver’s side bumper causing minor damage.

The officers then questioned the driver of the other car, later identified as Justin Castor, of Arlington, who initially could not really tell them what had happened.

They again asked Castor what had happened, but he reportedly did not respond and just stared at them. They immediately observed that he reportedly had bloodshot and glassy eyes. They also observed that his pupils were very small and pin point.

The officers asked Castor if he required medical attention and he denied needing any.

They asked Castor where he was coming from and he said Joshua Tree, a bar that used to be located in Davis Sq. but had closed a couple of years ago. They told him that Joshua Tree does not exist anymore and he said that they were right about that.

The officers asked Castor if he had consumed any alcoholic beverages that night, and he said that he had consumed one beer. His speech was slurred during this initial interaction and continued to be slurred throughout the questioning.

At the officers’ request, Castor stepped out of the vehicle and he was moved to a safe place on the side walk. According to police, he was unsteady on his feet on multiple occasions, used objects to steady himself, and it was difficult at times for him to walk in a straight line.

The officers again asked Castor where he was coming from and if he had consumed any alcoholic beverages. This time he told them that he was coming from Sligo’s and had two beers. They then asked him again what had happened in reference to the motor vehicle accident. He reportedly told them that he was trying to turn and then hit the other car.

While speaking with Castor, the officers could smell a moderate level of alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath.

They asked Castor for his driver license and registration and he told them they were in the car. A check of his car could not produce either of those documents. When they told Castor those documents were not in his car he reached into his back pocket, removed his wallet, and then said he had his driver’s license on him.

According to reports, it took Castor several attempts to successfully remove his driver’s license from his wallet.

The officers asked Castor if he would consent to a series of Field Sobriety Tests, and he kept changing his answer from no to yes then back to no every time they asked him.

Castor reportedly asked the officers the same questions over and over, even after being given answers to these questions multiple times.

Once the scene was safe enough to conduct Field Sobriety Tests, they moved Castor to a well lit area that had a flat surface to conduct my them.

The officers asked Castor one last time if he would consent to a series of Field Sobriety Tests, and again he told them that he would not consent to any.

It was at this time that Castor was placed under arrest on charges of negligent operation of a motor vehicle, operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor, and failure to stop or yield.