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An MBTA bus driver, who allegedly had an open bottle of vodka in his pocket when he crashed into a car at a Somerville intersection, was fired this week.

A termination letter was hand delivered to John McCarthy, 61, of 6 Chester Ave., on Monday after he was arrested Friday on charges of drunk driving and possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle.

McCarthy plead not guilty at his arraignment Monday. He allegedly struck a vehicle stopped at a red light at the intersection of  McGrath Highway, Somerville Avenue, and Medford Street. A witness allegedly told police when she approached the bus McCarthy was slouched over the steering wheel “starring off into space with his eyes  looking glazed over.”

Transit Police said McCarthy smelled of alcohol and when he tried to exit the bus, he stumbled and had difficulty maintaining his balance. He allegedly had a 0.29 percent blood-alcohol content on a breathalyzer test, more than three times the legal limit of 0.08.
His next court date is February 28 for a pretrial conference.

McCarthy, who worked for the MBTA for 27 years, was fired for allegedly violating MBTA rules on drinking alcohol or doing drugs during work and for excessive use of alcohol, according to the termination letter, signed by MBTA General Manager Richard A. Davey.