Lynn man pleads guilty to fifth OUI

SALEM – A 63-year-old Lynn man is headed to jail for a little over four years and will lose his license for life after pleading guilty to driving drunk for his fifth time on a suspended license last year.Thomas William Pass, formerly of 12 Spring St., Lynn, made his plea Wednesday afternoon in Salem Superior Court, pleading guilty to operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, fifth offense, operating a motor vehicle after suspension, subsequent offense, as well as three counts of leaving the scene of an accident after causing property damage before Judge Timothy Q. Feeley.Pass was sentenced to serve two and a half years in the House of Corrections for the operating under the influence of alcohol fifth offense.He also was given another year in jail for driving a motor vehicle on a suspended license and another nine months in jail for leaving the scene after causing property damages which will run one after the other.In essence Pass will serve a little over four years in jail, but because it is a jail sentence and not prison time, he will serve about half of the punishment imposed behind bars. He has already served 461 days awaiting trial on the case.Assistant District Attorney Ashley Dole stated the charges arise out of an incident in Lynn on Sept. 22, 2010 when police were summonsed to the area of 757 Western Ave. on a report of a motor vehicle accident.There they spoke to an individual who said he was struck from behind as he attempted to slow for traffic and when he got out of his vehicle, a man, later identified as Pass, was passed out across the front seat.When the man began walking back to his vehicle Pass drove away towards South Common Street.A short time later police were dispatched to Spring Road on a report of a man striking another parked car and again leaving the scene. The description of the driver matched the first motor vehicle report.Shortly after police were provided information that a truck just hit a stone wall on Spring Road and the operator was in the process of leaving.Police responding located the truck at 12 Spring Road and noticed a man attempting to unlock a door at the residence.When they approached they observed he was bleeding and fresh blood was found on the driver’s side door of the truck.The man, identified as Pass, was under the influence. A check of his license came back that it was suspended and he had a conviction for drunken driving, fourth offense, in 1997.Dole argued for a prison term of up to four years, saying it was “appropriate and “based on the facts and circumstances of the case.”Defense lawyer Deborah McWade pleaded for leniency, suggesting two and a half years in jail and concurrent penalties on the remaining charges.Pass was indicted by a grand jury in December of 2010.