An Essex man was arrested Friday night after allegedly driving his pickup truck over boulders and resisting arrest, according to Essex Police Chief Thomas Shamshak Jr.
48-year-old Anthony Altieri faces multiple charges, including:
operating under the influence of liquor
having an open container of alcohol in his vehicle
The incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. at the Town Landing on Main Street, where Officer Michael Sudora observed Altieri’s Ram pickup truck parked partially on the grass and partially in a restaurant parking lot.
Officer Sudora witnessed Altieri drive forward over large boulders separating the Town Landing from the restaurant, without headlights, and continue onto Main Street. Despite signals to stop, Altieri drove onto Martin Street before halting near 15 Martin St.
Backup was provided by Officer Zakary Johnson from the Manchester-by-the-Sea Police Department, and Essex Police Officer Shane Seekamp, who was conducting an unrelated investigation, later joined the scene.
A struggle ensued when officers attempted to arrest Altieri, but he was eventually taken into custody without further incident.
“I want to commend Officer Sudora for being in the right place at the right time to proactively observe and stop a suspected drunken driver,” said Chief Shamshak. “I also want to commend Officers Seekamp and Johnson for containing Altieri and de-escalating this situation, preventing it from turning into something that could have resulted in serious injuries.”
Altieri is expected to be arraigned Monday morning in Gloucester District Court.
These are allegations. All defendants are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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