Does you state ban cellphone use while driving?

[Monkey Butler]

Our next door neighboor state of CT has a ban on cell phone use while driving. The Mass legislature narrowly defeated a similar ban spurred by a teen death that was attributed to distracted driving with a cell phone. If it passes next year because of this bimbo then I will personally go to 2 Normal Street and ...
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Cruiser hit at traffic stop

Alleged drunk, text-messaging driver charged


By Bill Fortier TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
[email protected]






AUBURN— An allegedly drunken Worcester driver, who told police she was texting, slammed into a police cruiser on Route 20 early yesterday morning after leaving an Oxford strip club.

Jessica L. Dupre, 25, of 2 Normal St., Apt.1, Worcester, appeared in Central District Court in Worcester yesterday on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, negligent driving and impeded operation of a motor vehicle, Police Chief Andrew J. Sluckis, Jr. said.

Chief Sluckis said Ms. Dupre told police she was sending a text message to a friend when she slammed into the back of a police cruiser being driven by Patrolman Justin Starkus about 1 a.m. yesterday in the eastbound lane of Route 20 near Ronnie’s. Chief Sluckis said Patrolman Starkus, who was in the cruiser, had stopped someone else on Route 20 on motor vehicle violations and his flashing cruiser lights were on.

The impact sent Patrolman Starkus’ face into the cruiser’s steering wheel and he suffered back and neck pain.

Ms. Dupre was driving a 2008 Toyota Scion and police estimated that she was going 40 mph at the time of the crash.

Patrolman Starkus was treated at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester and released, Chief Sluckis said. Ms. Dupre, who was arrested by Patrolman Jonathan O’Brien, was not injured.

Ms. Dupre, who refused a Breathalyzer test, according to Chief Sluckis, told police she was sending the text message after leaving Centerfolds 2000 on Route 20 in Oxford, where she was celebrating her birthday that occurred a “couple of days” earlier and that she should not have been driving. Police said she told them that she had been served six or seven drinks between 10 p.m. Sunday and 1 a.m. yesterday and asked police the procedure for filing a lawsuit against the adult entertainment establishment.

The crash sent the cruiser about 20 feet forward into the rear of the vehicle that Patrolman Starkus had stopped on motor vehicle violations. No information was available on that vehicle yesterday.

The police cruiser sustained what Chief Sluckis called substantial damage to its rear end and will be out of commission for about a month. He said the Police Department has about 12 marked cruisers.

Ms. Dupre’s Toyota also sustained substantial damage.