SAUGUS — A 32-year-old man was arrested Thursday night after allegedly driving the wrong way on Route 1 and crashing his vehicle into five parked cars in the parking lot of a car dealership, police said.
Jonathan Sevoich, of Saugus, was arrested and charged with OUI drugs (second offense), failure to stop for police, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of a property damage crash, driving down a restricted way, and Class A drug possession.
The Class A drug is suspected to be heroin. Sevoich was also charged on several outstanding warrants, police said.
He pleaded not guilty in Lynn District Court on Friday, and was held on $10,000 bail. The Essex County District Attorney’s office said bail is revoked for an open case, so Sevoich will be held for 90 days. Upon his release, he is prohibited from driving and taking drugs or alcohol; he will undergo random drug and alcohol screening, the DA’s office said.
Shortly before 9 p.m. on Thursday, the Saugus Police Department was alerted to a vehicle that was traveling northbound on the southbound side of Route 1, near the York Ford car dealership.
While en route, officers were told by a witness that the vehicle had entered Route 1 from the Route 99 split while traveling the wrong way, and then turned into the parking lot of York Ford, where it struck five parked cars. Responding officers found a gray Hyundai Elantra, with its airbags deployed and heavy front-end damage, police said.
The first officer on scene allegedly found Sevoich in the driver’s seat, and after checking on his well-being, ordered him to get out of the vehicle. Sevoich allegedly refused and attempted to move the vehicle, prompting the officer to remove him from the car, police said.
Once out of the vehicle, Sevoich allegedly attempted to run away, but was restrained and eventually taken into custody by additional responding officers. Sevoich sustained cuts and abrasions to his chin and knees as a result of his struggle to evade arrest, police said.
Police said Sevoich showed signs of impairment during an on-scene investigation. After Sevoich was taken into custody to an area hospital, police located drug paraphernalia and a brown powdery substance, suspected to be heroin, during a subsequent inventory of his vehicle, police said.
Sevoich will return to court on April 19 for a probable-cause hearing.
