Driver Charged With OWI After Destructive Trail Leaves Residents Without Power
by Jana Ritter - Published: 2/01/2017An Ohio truck driver has been charged with driving drunk and causing a trail of destruction in a Chelsea, MA neighborhood on Tuesday night. After crashing into hydrants and several parked cars, the semi-truck then proceeded to hit a transformer, which erupted in flames and left at least 50 homes without power.
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According to police, 46-year-old Douglas Ray McClellan of Ohio was operating his tractor-trailer under the influence of alcohol late Tuesday evening, around Broadway and Library Street. While it's uncertain whether he was actually on the job at the time of the incident, McClellan was driving a truck that belonged to his employer, Ploger Transportation of Bellevue, OH. At around 11:30 p.m. he was driving in the tightly congested neighborhood of Chelsea and lost control of his tractor-trailer. He then hit 2 fire hydrants, 3 parked cars, a fence and an electrical transformer all within minutes. The incident escalated into a more urgent situation when the transformer burst into flames and left over 50 homes without electricity for the rest of the night.
“It sounds like something is exploding,” explained a resident who reported the incident to police. “Once he hit that big electric thing, I called the cops and they responded quickly. He was trying to take off after he hit all these things.”
Chelsea firefighters also rushed to the scene to tackle the transformer fire before things got worse. “We had a tractor trailer who was unfamiliar with the area, it’s a tightly congested area. He struck a pad-mounted generator with a minimum of 13,000 volts through it,” Dep. Fire Chief Robert Cameron confirmed to local media. Residents were left without power through the night and continued to experience patches of outages on Wednesday as Eversource made repairs and eventually restored power to the areas that had been affected. The damaged tractor-trailer was towed from the scene by police.
Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes said that it was fortunate nobody was injured in all the damage but the driver is now facing charges that include operating under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of a crash after causing property damage. McClellan was arraigned Wednesday in Chelsea District Court. With the damage to the truck, neighborhood witnesses and footage of the semi crashing into the transformer being captured on video by a city surveillance camera, it’s a tough case to defend. However, McClellan’s attorneys are trying their best to argue that he has an otherwise clean driving record and was lost in an unfamiliar place and on medication during the time of the crash.
Unfortunately there are a few irresponsible idiots out there by no means reflects on the rest of us drivers that go through the daily grind putting saftey first
Well said!
Unfortunately the way society is...one bad apple can harm the entire as a whole. Amd that can be placed on any group...
We are fucked now !
Dizdarevic Hamdija We've been screwed ever since they allowed beer and other alcoholic beverages available for truck driver's that can't, or won't say "No!" to drinking while in charge of a Commercial Vehicle. I've witnessed driver's purchasing these product's, and questioned them if they knew that 0%, meant No Alcoholic Consumption, or NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES! The responses varied, all not really very polite, and THAT is the problem.
Hey Dan, unfortunately there are more than just a few.
Trucking Unlimited Amen
OK let be honest, being in a area you don't know is part of driving truck. I will even go as far as to say knocking over 2 fire hydrants can happen because I have done it and no water doesn't shoot out, and maybe the fence. But the cars and tranformer is hard to believe he wasn't on something. Plus if the drive was on medication that effects his ability to operate heavy equipment then he was driven under the influance of a substance. Just because it is a presciption doesn't mean you can take it then go on your marry way.
Amen and it makes us all look bad, we all know you got to be responsible
There is never, ever, a reason to drink when in a semi. Drink when your home but never when your in your truck.
I had drinks in the truck no harm In it as long as you don't drink and drive.
You won't like the consequences of your actions when you get caught. Not one bit.
Jon Rubin Alcoholic Beverages INSIDE, OR AROUND, while even Off Duty is a Federal Motor Carrier Offense. There's a damned good reason for this too! I've witnessed the aftermath destruction of property, and LIVES!
How is a driver having multiple collisions with fire hydrants, cars, and a transformer, and then trying to leave that scene make the cops pigs??????? It's drivers that do this sort of thing that make all drivers look like maniacs to the general public. And your comments make you seem like they are right Jason. Just another Billy big Rigger you are sad.
Amen
Why didn't he just stop after the first incident!!??
Truck drivers should be smart enough to know when not to get behind the wheel.
Just like non truck drivers should be smart enough to know when not to get behind the wheel.
Exactly, but more so because they are "supposed to be" professionals.
4 wheelers have licenses too, don't they?
Bet his flip flop got caught under his brake pedal, then in a panic, his turban fell over his face and his bed sheet outfit got wrapped up in the wheel. Just saying it's a possibility....
Lmao
Ugly excuse
Why are his attorneys trying to argue about whether he was driving under the influence of alcohol or medication? Even if it was medication if the meds cause side effects bad enough for a person to be driving impaired he shouldn't have been behind the wheel.
Because its all they got.cameras don't lie
Looking for a possibility to sue the doctor for not saying the driver could not operate a vehicle when on the medication....vs...being just another dui case.
Amen
If the truck he's driving belongs to the company he works for,not only it would come out of his paycheck,he'd might as well say goodbye to his truck driving job
It will not come out of his paycheck, company insurance
Ronald Wilson I never said it wasn't illegal just that if a guy has a couple beers wether in a bar or sitting his truck then goes to sleep for 8hrs it's not going to effect his ability to drive. Now if said driver has a couple then gets behind the wheel yes that's not a good thing.
Ok, for sake of argument, lets say everything is true according to his attorney. Lost, and on meds. I am a driver myself, no reason to run over things even in an unfamiliar area and as far as being on meds vs being in alcohol, either way in a CMV, thats DUI. First question I always ask my doctor when I am prescribed anything, will this make me tired, fatgigued, or in any way effect my ability to drive. If i does, Im not taking it unless Im home and not planning to go to work until after dosage is complete.
Amen, same here and my doctor knows I am a driver and tells right way if it's ok to drive
Drivers if you get alcohol in your system do not even get in the drivers door or touch the controls. Climb in the passenger door and sleep it off. Even more spend the coin on a hotel room for one night. The DOT regs disqualify a driver from having a CDL for 52 years if they get a DUI
That sad if a cop screws up they just ask him to leave the department quietly then he gets to keep his license and go to the next town seen it many times
Well thats the end for that driver , good luck finding a job!
Sounds like he's just a victim of Swift training!
Don't make excuses for a dumb assss that could have killed someone
I wonder how many D.O.T. checks this will lead to for everybody else?
Even if he wasn't drinking but on some medication . If the meds affected him like that then he shouldn't have been driving anyway
So, on meds that affect ability to operate a motor vehicle. He's a dumbshit. Unfamiliar with area. You call the local police, dumbshit. I have called many different police departments all over Massachusetts. They have ALL been very helpful. Hint: do not call 911.
If they breathalysed him and it came back positive he can call meds all he wants but not gonna helo
You can not take medication that can impair your driving of a comercial vehicle.
being on meds that affect your driving ability,really ain't an excuse.
Must have been using auto gps. Delivered there years ago. No room
I almost lost control of my truck from laughing too hard as I read this.
Another dummy trying to read while driving,
I'm sure swift will be sueing for trying to take their best in class claim from them
END THE PUPPY MILL MADNESS!
Yes if his mess caused him to do this he does not need to be driving anything
hope truck driver takes out Jason Scholbrock family for saying that asshole
Should not have been behind the wheel. Period!
Just takes 1 idiot like this to make the rest of us look bad...
Just keep fucking us truck drivers over u fucking with yes pigs
You're an idiot
People that drive like that...and make comments like you ...are not truck drivers !!! They are steering wheel holding want to be's !!! As michael said ...billy big riggers !!!
Sarcasm?
Jason Scholbrock, DUMBASS
Jason, are you just having fun with this, or serious? I know that you don't condone drunks behind the wheel, but especially not in big rigs. Right?
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/392.5
Jason Scholbrock do you have any marbles in a drawer somewhere in your house, if so replace your brain with them , it would be a whole lot better than what you have now
Yea must have went to Kmart to get his Cdl
No. Out of the gumball machine!!!!!
No, Cracker Jack Box
Yes drugs will do that
Ooops.
8 hrs from the bottle to the throttle.
Oh. My.!!!!!
SWIFT is hiring.
He was going for the high score 🤣
Lost is not an excuse for reckless driving.
ASSHOLE
Wow that's career suicide
Fucking I dot
A very small company could go bankrupt .
He's in a heap of trouble
Drivers 1st day
owi ?
Operating while impaired
Smh
Is this Terrorism?
His dispatch told him to.
Damn them Russian's!
Gary Roberson, John Trixter Dorney
Terry Eveleth