A 25-year-old West Springfield man was arrested early Saturday morning after crashing into a police cruiser.
Leeony Tessier, 25, was charged with improper turn, operating a motor vehicle with an open container of alcohol and OUI liquor, according to a statement from the West Springfield Police Department.
The incident happened at around 2:08 a.m. when an officer radioed headquarters, stating that he was involved in a car accident at Riverdale Street and Ashley Avenue.
The officer was able to get out of his cruiser and check on the driver and passengers of the other car involved, police said. Two of the passengers already left the car and reported being “ok” but Tessier was still inside, the statement reads.
The officer then opened the driver’s side door to check on Tessier and told him to stay in the car.
Police noticed that Tessier was “unsteady on his feet and he was using the car to steady himself,” the department wrote. “The officer also noticed a bottle of Corona beer in the driver’s cup holder.”
Several officers and a supervisor then arrived to the scene to assist and after speaking with the officer that had been hit and interviewing the passengers, it was determined that Tessier was traveling South on Riverdale Street and the cruiser was traveling North on Riverdale Street approaching Ashley Avenue.
The car suddenly turned left into the path of the cruiser, the statement reads.
“While speaking with Mr. Tessier, officers noticed signs of impairment and he admitted to drinking several Coors Lights,” police said. “Due to these factors, a standardized field sobriety test was conducted and those results also showed signs of impairment.”
Tessier was driven to police headquarters for booking.
Before his car was towed, officers found “numerous open containers of alcohol inside the car Tessier” was driving, the department said.
The passengers in Tessier’s car were uninjured and managed to leave the scene.
The police officer involved in the crash was driven to the hospital with minor injuries and he was later released.