NORTHAMPTON — An alleged drunken driver who was pepper-sprayed by police after he plowed through a restricted area during Florence Night Out was released on $500 bail after his arraignment this week.
John M. Bourgeois, 57, of Meadow Street in Florence, is charged with his fourth OUI offense, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, failing to stop for police and negligent operation of a motor vehicle for the incident that was witnessed by a crowd of festival-goers last weekend.
According to Northampton District Court records, Bourgeois is required to submit to random screenings for alcohol and drugs, excluding marijuana. The court appointed an attorney on his behalf and charged a $150 counsel fee. His next court date is Nov. 18.
On Saturday, Sept. 24, at around 7:35 p.m., officers were stationed near the Florence VFW “keeping the roads shut down to protect pedestrian traffic,” according to a police report, when a gray Kia vehicle tried to “drive through our barricade at North Main St.” The driver “began yelling and arguing with officers, becoming very volatile.
“Bourgeois was informed vehicular traffic was not allowed through until the event ends and that he could park his car nearby and walk to his house,” the report by Officer John Sellew reads. “Bourgeois did not like this answer and began to drive away, continuing to yell at officers.”
Bourgeois allegedly drove his car through the crowded VFW parking lot, over traffic cones and “a game set up for Florence Night Out,” then onto the sidewalk, nearly striking a pedestrian, according to Sellew’s report. At the time, people were “densely packed” in the street and the car finally came to a stop on the sidewalk.
Police said they ordered Bourgeois out of the car; he refused and started to “swing” at them, according to Sellew’s report, so Officer Brett Willson pepper-sprayed his face and eyes.
“Bourgeois sat there absorbing the spray and still refused to exit his vehicle,” Sellew’s report reads.
Willson’s report indicates that the spray did not have the “desired effect” and he began to jab Bourgeois in the arms with his baton to make him stop swinging.
After further wrangling to remove the suspect from the vehicle, Sellew said he punched Bourgeois once in the face. Bourgeois allegedly tried to start his car again, at which point more officers arrived — including one who was off-duty — and “dragged” him to the pavement, where he was handcuffed.
Willson wrote that he drove Bourgeois to the Northampton Police Department; his body “exhibited the overpowering odor of alcohol” and he refused sobriety tests and a breath test. His driver’s license was seized and police wrote that they found an “empty nip bottle of vodka” and a “cooler of Budweiser” in the back of his vehicle.
His previous OUI convictions were in 1985, 1986 and 1990, according to police.
Brian Steele can be reached at bsteele@gazettenet.com.