NH Man Charged with 4th OUI After Causing Chaos in East Boston

A New Hampshire man with three prior OUIs under his belt is facing yet another impaired driving charge after causing chaos on East Boston streets Monday evening.

According to the Suffolk County DA’s office, 36-year-old Matthew Moitoza of Rye, NH, was behind the wheel of a gray Lexus SUV when he drove the wrong way down Wordsworth Street, slammed into two parked cars, took out a street sign, and even knocked over a tree before firefighters stopped him in his tracks.

The Boston Herald reports that Boston firefighters encountered the vehicle and told police they saw the driver snorting from an aerosol can. When they approached to talk to him, he attempted to flee the scene again. The firefighters were able to puncture his tires and haul him out of the vehicle “for public safety concerns.”

The police later reported finding two cans of compressed air duster inside the SUV — one empty, one full.

Moitoza already has three OUI convictions in New Hampshire, so his Lexus is outfitted with an ignition interlock device that forces him to take a breathalyzer before starting the car. That didn’t stop him this time. Prosecutors say he was “shaking, sweating, speaking rapidly, and confused” when arrested, and he was unable to perform field sobriety tests.

He was arraigned in East Boston Municipal Court on charges including OUI drugs (fourth offense), driving to endanger, and leaving the scene of an accident. Judge Debra DelVecchio deemed him dangerous and ordered him held at the Massachusetts Alcohol and Substance Abuse Center for treatment. He’s due back in court Tuesday.

You can read more details here. 

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