By Jim Clark

Somerville Police officers were dispatched to the area of Pearl Street at Cross Street last week on reports of an accident involving a man who was passed out behind the wheel.

Upon arrival, the officers met with a witness to the incident. Also on scene, standing outside of his vehicle, was the driver of who allegedly struck a parked vehicle, identified as Gaetano Silvestri.

According to witness, he had observed a vehicle that looked like the one Silvestri was operating side swipe a vehicle on Cross Street a few minutes earlier.

Additionally, the witness said he observed Silvestri rear end a vehicle at the intersection of Pearl Street and Cross Street. When the witness went over to check on Silvestri, it appeared as though he was asleep behind the wheel.

The witness said he woke Silvestri up and told him he was in an accident, to which he reportedly replied, “Oh, I will take care of it,” then pulled over to the side of the road. The operator of the vehicle that Silvestri was alleged to have rear ended did not stay on scene.

The officers approached Silvestri and asked him for his driver’s license. He was reportedly slow to respond and seemed uncoordinated to the officers. His speech was also slow, according to police reports.

Silvestri reportedly handed the officers his medical cannabis card. They informed Silvestri that they needed his driver’s license, not his medical cannabis card. Silvestri complied and handed over his license.

During their interactions with Silvestri, the officers observed that he nodded off while standing up.

The officers asked Silvestri how much alcohol he had consumed, and he stated the he had three beers, and that the last beer he had drank was consumed 45 minutes earlier.

The officers asked Silvestri if he took any drugs or medications, and he stated he did not take drugs but took blood thinners. The officers reported that they could smell the very faint odor of some alcoholic beverage on Silvestri’s breath. They also noted that Silvestri’s eyes were blood shot and droopy.

The officers asked Silvestri to perform a series of field sobriety assessments. The area where the tests were conducted was on a flat sidewalk, clear from any apparent defects, well lit by street lights.

Prior to administering any of the tests, the officers asked Silvestri if he had any medical or physical impairments that would prevent him from taking the tests. The officers explained and demonstrated each of the tests and asked Silvestri if he understood each one to be conducted, to which he said that he did.

According to reports, Silvestri did not pass the field sobriety tests and was subsequently placed under arrest on charges of reckless operation of a motor vehicle and operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs.