By Dave Rogers
The Daily News of Newburyport, Mass.
MERRIMAC, Mass. — A local man who shoved the town’s fire chief and attacked a police officer after his car rolled over pleaded guilty to several charges in Newburyport District Court.
Brett Lupa, 35, was charged with a second drunken driving offense, driving under the influence of drugs, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, assault and battery on a police officer, assault on ambulance personnel, and a marked lanes violation following the crash June 13 near Highland Road and Brush Hill.
Months later, Lupa was arrested again in November and charged with assault and battery on a family/household member and assault. Lupa has been in custody ever since.
After pledging guilty Dec. 21, Lupa was given a one-year suspended jail sentence. All but 21 days in jail were suspended for two years while he was on probation with credit for time already served.
During probation, he will have to remain drug and alcohol-free with random screens, complete an alcohol safety awareness program, and not drive for 90 days. As part of the plea deal, the driving under the influence of drugs charge would be dropped.
Merrimac police Officer Brett Remon responded to the crash at about 7:30 p.m. as a large group of people stood on the side of the road and told the officer that the driver of the severely damaged car was walking away.
When Remon asked Lupa to stop so he could be treated by firefighters, Lupa swore at the officer and continued walking away, according to the officer’s report.
Eventually, Remon grabbed Lupa’s wrist and put his other hand on the man’s back. Lupa stopped walking and turned around.
“As he stopped walking, I asked what his name was which he told me was ‘Michael Myers.’ I asked him for his real name which he responded ‘Mike Myers,” Remon wrote in his report, adding that Lupa appeared intoxicated.
As Remon tried escorting Lupa to an awaiting ambulance, Lupa became combative and took a fighting stance.
Fearing for the safety of the pedestrians and other emergency responders, Remon tried to corral Lupa.
Lupa lunged at the officer and shoved him into the ambulance. Remon called the dispatch for backup and tried again to control Lupa, who tried hitting Remon with his fists as he grabbed him.
“As I was going to restrain him, he spun back around and shoved Fire Chief Larry Fisher in the chest causing him to go backwards into the ambulance door,” Remon wrote in his report.
It took Remon and an off-duty police officer to finally bring Lupa to the ground and subdue him. Firefighters then injected Lupa with three doses of a sedative while he was struggling on the ground.
After a few seconds, the sedative took effect and Lupa was placed in the ambulance. He was then transported to Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport for treatment. Lupa was later transferred to a Boston hospital because of his injuries.
Assisting Remon were police officers from Amesbury, and Newton, New Hampshire, along with Merrimac police Chief Eric Shears and others.
A witness of the crash said Lupa passed her at about 75 mph on Church Street while heading toward Highland Road. Lupa then drove onto a nearby field and flipped his car over twice before it landed on its wheels. A search resulted in police finding an open container of alcohol, according to Remon’s report.
Remon was brought to Anna Jaques Hospital, where he was treated and released.
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