Local man faces charges after Sunday crash

But by the time police apprehended Daryl J. Attwood, he’d driven across the city, picked up a stranger who accepted his invitation for a ride, passed out at the wheel and then crashed into a utility pole on Front Street.

Now Attwood, 43, of 65 South St., is facing a string of charges, including driving under the influence of liquor or drugs on a suspended license, a felony; driving after a license suspension for past driving offenses; assaulting a police officer; refusal to submit to a chemical test; and leaving a lane of travel.

Police started looking for Attwood about 5:30 p.m. after dispatch received a call that a man who appeared unsteady on his feet had urinated on private property before getting in a Toyota Rav4 and striking a fence behind the Tyra Club on West Street.

Minutes later, police reports say, a motorist fitting Attwood’s description struck a utility pole near 100 Front St.

Patrol Officer Elian Nunez reported that Attwood’s speech was slurred and his demeanor suggested he was intoxicated, but the officer was unable to determine whether he had consumed alcohol or a drug. Attwood refused to take a breath alcohol test and flatly denied he’d had anything to drink.

During the investigation, police were contacted by yet another individual – an adult male – who said he’d been walking on Bernon Street when Attwood slowed down to offer him a ride. The man agreed to get in Attwood’s vehicle, but he soon began to regret it.

After the two had traveled little more than a few blocks, Attwood passed out at the wheel, the passenger told police. The rider tried to wake Attwood but was unable to do so. With Attwood unconscious, the vehicle began to veer out of control and didn’t stop until it slammed into the utility pole.

Because he complained of an injury to his finger – he called it a “boo-boo,” according to police – Attwood was transported to Landmark Medical Center, where his demeanor became belligerent and combative. He allegedly began spitting at police and hospital workers. Before he was put in restraints, he kicked Officer Nunez in the chest when the policeman chastised him for mistreating the healthcare staff and emergency workers tending to him.

It couldn’t immediately be determined why Attwood’s license had been canceled, but the judiciary’s web site says he has a record for delivery and possession of narcotics. His criminal history also shows a prior conviction for driving under the influence of liquor in 1999.