Chief: Unlicensed drivers a problem

LYNN – State Police arrested a Lynn man on May 4 after he allegedly drove his car at a state trooper who had pulled him over because he believed the driver was drunk, according to a police report.The trooper jumped out of the way of the car being driven by Nestor Mendez, 25, of Lynn during the incident on Boston Street, but was hit by a second car and had to be hospitalized, according to police.Mendez, a Guatemalan native, ultimately admitted to sufficient facts in connection with a multitude of charges, including operating under the influence, reckless operation and driving without a license, according to court records.”Clearly this defendant has never been to a school where he was taught how to drive,” Assistant District Attorney Geoffrey Wood said during a plea hearing in June.Judge Albert Conlon sentenced Mendez to serve nine months in the House of Corrections and federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents immediately placed Mendez in removal proceedings, according to ICE spokesperson Ross Feinstein.The incident illustrates what Police Chief Kevin Coppinger said this week is the ongoing and serious public safety problem of people – often immigrants – driving without licenses in Lynn.”It’s been a problem for a long time,” Coppinger said.Coppinger said the problem is sometimes caused by “cultural differences,” when immigrants who come into the country think they can use the driver’s license from their home country to drive here.Other times, it’s because they aren’t aware of the laws requiring them to have a Massachusetts license, along with insurance and a car that is registered and inspected, he said. He agreed that illegal immigrants will sometimes flee an accident scene knowing they could be arrested when police discover they’re not licensed to drive.”What’s troublesome about it is if they don’t have a license or registration or insurance, the other person, who could be innocent, could suffer a loss,” Coppinger said.Just this past Saturday, police responded to the scene of an accident on Washington Street and Henry Avenue, according to a police report.They arrived and found Antonio Chilel Esteban, 22, of 119 Beacon Hill Ave., Lynn, smelling of alcohol and acting “very unsteady on his feet,” according to the report.They said Esteban, who had a warrant charging him with driving without a license from Lynn District Court at the time, according to a report from Officer Mark Holey, also slurred his speech and had glassy eyes.Police charged Esteban with operating under the influence of alcohol and a second charge of driving without a license in connection with the incident.But when they asked him for his license, all he could produce was a passport, according to the report.Judge Ellen Flatley later released him on personal recognizance, meaning he did not have to post a cash bail to go free.Frequent meetingsCoppinger stressed police have held a number of meetings with immigrant groups in the city “to try to address these issues,” and those meetings have helped.Still, Coppinger said police have made more than 350 arrests in the past two years and issued nearly 650 citations for people driving without a license in the city.In 2010, police arrested 184 people and cited 341 for driving without a license, he said.In 2011, those numbers dropped slightly, with police arresting 183 people and citing 308 for driving without a license, Coppinger said.Coppinger declined to comment on Flatley’s decision to release Esteban, but he did say, “What I would love to see if someone doesn’t have a license, if they’re going to drive, they should be forced to get a license.”But Ward 3 City Councilor Darren Cyr, who is known for his strong stands in support of public safety, said there’s “definitely” a problem with illegal immigrants coming into the city and then driving without a license or insurance.Cyr said the problem is exacerbated by judges who set low or no bails in cases where public safety is at risk.”I think that’s a huge prob