Alleged Drunk Driver Crashes Into Clipper Ship Inn

Police said a woman drove into a unit at the early Wednesday morning and then told police someone else had been behind the wheel.

Police arrested Sandra Picariello, 48, of 40 Bridge St. (the motel address), on a charge of operating under the influence of liquor after they responded to the building at 2:33 a.m.

When they arrived, officers said they spoke to the caller, a representative from the Clipper Ship, who said Picariello, a resident of one of the units, "drove her motor vehicle into the front door to units 5-8." The woman also reported Picariello had "called her and related that someone hit the building with her motor vehicle and then parked it."

Police said an officer went to the units and found the front door smashed in. There was also damage to a black rod iron railing and bricks on the door frame, police said. The vehicle, a Toyota Avalon, also had front end damage, and the officer "observed the Toyota hood emblem of the motor vehicle on the front passenger seat," police said.

When police spoke with Picariello, they said there was a strong odor of alcohol on her breath.

She told them the same thing she told the woman from the Clipper Ship — "someone took her motor vehicle and hit the building and then parked it." Police said when asked, the woman also told them she was the only one who had keys to the vehicle.

An officer "then asked Picariello if she wanted to file a stolen motor vehicle report and was also advised of the consequences of filing a false police report." Police said she told them she didn't want a report filed.

Picariello failed two out of three field sobriety tests and was arrested, according to police.

The also responded to the scene and the building inspector was notified, police said.