Man to Return to Court After Allegedly Fleeing Hamilton Crash That Injured Woman

A Hamilton man accused of crashing a car into an utility pole and then fleeing the scene while the passenger remained injured in the car is scheduled to return to court on Thursday.

The charges against Scott Argetes, 40, of 2 Lincoln Ave., Hamilton include leaving the scene of a property damage crash and leaving the scene of a personal injury crash, marked lanes violation and no inspection sticker. The two most serious charges are misdemeanors punishable up to two years in jail.

It happened back on April 18 at about 10:50 p.m. on Asbury Street near the intersection of Ricker Circle.

Hamilton police and firefighters showed up to find a “heavily damaged” 1993 Lexus ES sedan with an injured woman in the passenger seat. A police investigation found that the car jumped the curb on Asbury Street and allegedly went about 110 feet on the sidewalk on the north side of the road before slamming into the pole.

His female passenger, who lives not far from the crash scene, was taken by Lyons ambulance to Beverly Hospital. She was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Argetes went to the victim’s house before the crash to discuss home improvements to her house. The two had left to go to another home to discuss the work with someone else when the crash happened, police said.

At least two witnesses told police they saw Argetes flee, and one identified him by name and said they knew Argetes because he used to plow their driveway. Witnesses said he was last sent walking up Boston Avenue.

Police checked Argetes’ home and the victim’s home just after the crash but did not locate him.

Later, after midnight, as the search for him continued, police checked the victim’s home again. He was found sleeping on the couch in the living room of the crash victim’s house. Police saw Argetes through the window and they entered the house through an unlocked door to check his well being at about 12:30 a.m.

Police called his name and shook him but he did not wake up. He had a scratch on his nose and a bloody nose, police said.

When he did wake up, Argetes told police he had not been driving that night and was not involved in a car crash. When he was told that a witness saw him in the driver’s seat at the time of the crash, he just shrugged his shoulders, police said.

Argetes is “suspected” of using alcohol before the crash, police wrote in a report, but he was not charged with anything related to alcohol.

After the crash, Argetes pleaded not guilty in Ipswich District Court and released on $200 cash bail by Judge Peter Doyle. He was represented by attorney Ernie Stone. Argetes is scheduled to be back in court on Thursday for a pre-trial hearing.