LYNN – A judge ordered a Danvers man with six previous drunken driving convictions held without bail after police say the man nearly crashed into a cruiser while driving drunk and in the wrong direction on a one-way street in Lynn.”Officers had to carry him into the booking area due to his level of intoxication and placed him on a bench,” Assistant District Attorney Aimee Conway said in Lynn District Court Thursday afternoon. “He fell onto the floor from this sitting position, and when asked again how much he had to drink, he said, ?not much.'”Kenneth Ouimette, 55, of 19? Bradstreet Ave., Danvers, was arrested and charged with operating under the influence of liquor, seventh offense; operating a motor vehicle with a revoked license; and a one-way street violation; at 2:30 a.m. Thursday.A not guilty plea was entered on Ouimette’s behalf at his arraignment in Lynn District Court Thursday afternoon.Police reported that they were in a vehicle on Essex Street Thursday morning when they saw a car heading towards them, traveling the wrong way down a one-way portion of the street, Conway said.Officers reported turning on the cruiser’s siren and lights, and the car stopped, Conway said. She told the court that officers approached the car and attempted to speak with the driver, identified as Ouimette. But Conway said officers reported Ouimette “appeared confused and disoriented,” and was unaware he was traveling in the wrong direction. Officers also noticed Ouimette’s eyes were glassy, she said.”When asked if he had been drinking, the defendant said only ?Gary’s house,'” Conway told the court.Officers asked Ouimette to get out of the car to perform field sobriety tests but he was unable to stand up by himself, Conway said. Officers placed Ouimette in their cruiser and took him to the station.Conway said that Ouimette had six prior convictions for operating under the influence, and she requested that Ouimette be held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing.Court-appointed defense attorney Meredith Reeves did not challenge probable cause for a dangerousness hearing.Lynn District Court Judge Stacey Fortes ordered Ouimette held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for June 20.Cyrus Moulton can be reached at [email protected].
