74-year-old Strikes Parked Car, Says ‘No Big Deal’

Police were dispatched to the area of 18 Highland Cir. on June 4 after a caller at Spiga Restaurant had reported a crash in their parking lot.

At 8:40 p.m. officers arrived on the scene and were flagged down by a female party. She stated that a white Acura had backed into her vehicle and that she was almost struck as she was standing next to it.

The woman related that her sister-in-law had screamed to move out of the way, because the car was "backing towards her and was not slowing."

The reporting party stated that when she went to speak with the operator of the Acura, who was later identified as 74-year-old Merton Briggs of Chelmsford, he was unsteady on his feet and argumentative.

Officer Steven Kelly confirmed that no one had been injured in the crash and approached Briggs. He also reported that Briggs was unsteady on his feet and had to support himself by leaning on his car. Kelly asked Briggs what happened and Briggs said that he was backing his car out of his spot when he struck a parked car, an act he called, "no big deal."

While Officer Kelley listened to the story, he detected a "moderate odor of alcohol" emanating from Briggs' breath, according to reports. Asked if he had been drinking this evening, Briggs answered that he had consumed a bottle of wine with friends in the restaurant. Another party at the scene would later clarify that Briggs and his group had consumed two bottles of wine.

Briggs was arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.