DUI Suspect Wrestled Off I-91 By State Police In Middletown

MIDDLETOWN, CT — A suspected drunken driver wrestled with state police on Interstate 91 and was then subdued and charged during an incident over the weekend, authorities said.

State police released details of the incident Tuesday.

At 2:28 a.m., state police received calls about a disabled vehicle creating a hazard on the northbound side of I-91 in Middletown, between the rest area and Exit 20, according to an incident report. Troopers located a black GMC Sierra pickup with a Massachusetts registration plate parked in the right "climbing lane," and several damaged DOT traffic cones in its trail, according tp an incident report.

The pickup's engine was running and the driver was slumped over the steering wheel, state police said. Troopers made multiple attempts to get the driver's attention and had to break one of the vehicle's windows to wake him up, according to an incident report.

The driver resisted troopers' efforts to escort him out of the pickup and he attempted to drive away before being removed, according to an incident report.

The driver fought with police in the highway and, with traffic approaching, troopers first had to wrestle him to the shoulder and then deploy a Taser to get him in handcuffs, according to an incident report.

He was subsequently identified as 24-year-old Sean O'Neill of Wakefield, MA.

An EMS crew responded to the scene to evaluate O'Neill, but he refused to be transported to an area hospital, according to an incident report. Troopers detected a strong odor of alcohol and alcoholic beverage containers were in plain view inside the pickup, according to an incident report.

O'Neill was transported to the Troop H barracks, where he failed sobriety tests according to an incident report.

O'Neill was processed and charged with:

• Fourth-degree criminal mischief
• Interfering with police (two counts)
• Second-degree reckless endangerment
• Driving under the influence
• Reckless driving
• Failure to maintain lane
• Improper parking

O'Neill was released on a $20,000 bond and is scheduled for arraignment in Middletown Superior Court, on July 12, records show.