Lynn man ends DUI by punching cop

LYNN – A Dearborn Avenue man is facing a long list of charges after he allegedly drove drunk, led police on a car chase and assaulted an officer.Frantz Augustin, 50, of 20 Dearborn Ave., Lynn, was arrested shortly after 2:30 a.m. Monday.Officer Robert Avery tried to pull over Augustin’s vehicle after he clocked it driving 45 mph in a 20 mph zone on Boston Street near Sacred Heart Church, police said.Instead of slowing down, the vehicle took a quick left turn onto Laurel Street and kept driving at approximately 45 mph, police said.The car eventually wove down Belle Avenue, Ashland Street and Summer Street before Augustin allegedly pulled the vehicle into his Dearborn Avenue driveway.According to a police report written by Avery, the officer exited his cruiser when Augustin jumped out of his vehicle and “ran towards me.”Augustin allegedly pushed Avery away when the officer tried to get him to stop running.That’s when Avery “was able to take Augustin to the ground,” he wrote.As the two struggled, the suspect got back on his feet and allegedly used two hands to shove the officer in the face.”I was able to deliver a punch to the left side of Augustin’s face area at which time he again went to the ground,” Avery wrote. “While on the ground Augustin continued to struggle violently, flailing his arms and trying to get up.”Avery was able to handcuff one of Augustin’s hands when he allegedly used the other hand to swing at the officer.”I held this one handcuffed hand as Augustin continued swinging at me,” Avery wrote.The officer said he was unable to use pepper spray or his baton for compliance because he was unable to let go of the handcuffed hand.”I delivered several strikes to the legs and arms of Augustin as we fell to the ground,” Avery wrote.Augustin made one last attempt to punch the officer, according to police.Avery placed Augustin into a headlock until backup finally arrived, he said.Lynn District Court records show Augustin currently has an open court case stemming from a May 12 domestic violence arrest.In that case, Augustin’s 42-year-old girlfriend alleged he smashed a glass mug over her head when she refused to have sex with him.Police found him hiding in a bedroom closet in his underwear, according to court records.The victim’s 16-year-old son called police at 4:30 a.m. after he heard Augustin abusing her, which included several punches to her head and body, police said.Augustin admitted to police he “had a couple of drinks” earlier, police said.Augustin was arraigned in court for Monday’s incident on charges of operating under the influence, assault and battery on a police officer, failing to stop for police, resisting arrest, driving an unregistered and uninsured car, speeding, negligent operation and driving without a license in possession.Judge James LaMothe ordered Augustin held on $1,000 cash bail and back to court Aug. 14 for a pre-trial hearing.At his previous arraignment on domestic violence in May, Judge Stacey Fortes-White ordered him held on $5,000 cash bail and to stay away from the victim and her family.