Lynn man loses license for life

SALEM – A Lynn man who admitted driving drunk for his fifth time will lose his driving privileges in Massachusetts for life.Thomas Delangis, 36, of 44 Valley Road, changed his plea to guilty Monday in Salem Superior Court to charges of operating a motor vehicle while drunk, his fifth time, and leaving the scene after causing property damage before Judge Howard J. Whitehead.Sentencing has been delayed until Feb. 19 in Salem.In the meantime, Delangis remains free.He is expected to receive a punishment of two-and-a-half to three years in prison to be followed by two years of probation from Whitehead.Because this is Delangis’ fifth drunken driving conviction, he will lose his driving privileges in Massachusetts for life.The charges stem from an incident in Lynn at about noon on Nov. 13, 2006 when Delangis, driving a white truck, side-swiped a parked van on Paul Street and kept going.The owner of the van and his friend were on the sidewalk at the time.The friend followed the truck to a liquor store on Essex Street where he saw Delangis get out of the truck and stagger into the liquor store.In the meantime, he grabbed the keys out of the white truck and called authorities, who later arrested Delangis.Lynn Police officer David Spelta said when he arrested Delangis, he was barefoot, his eyes were glassy and blood shot and he could smell alcohol on his breath.During a pat frisk, a bottle of Sambuca was found in his pocket, police said.A witness identified Delangis as the man driving the white truck.