Merrimac woman gets jail time for 3rd OUI
Aug. 23—MERRIMAC — A local woman charged with her third drunken driving offense was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in jail after pleading guilty Friday in Newburyport District Court.
Lisa Young, 54, of West Main Street saw all but 150 days of her sentence suspended for 2 1/2 years while on probation. She was given credit for 64 days already served behind bars and has 86 left to serve.
During her time on probation, Young must remain drug and alcohol free with random screens and wear a SCRAM monitoring device. She also lost her driver's license for eight years.
During Friday's appearance in court, Young also pleaded guilty to unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and failing to stop for police. Reckless operation of a motor vehicle and resisting arrest charges were continued without a finding for two years.
Young was found responsible for having an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle and a marked lanes violation. She was found not responsible for failing to stop/yield and speeding.
Merrimac police Officer Stephen A. Ringuette received word about 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 14, 2020, that a motorist was driving all over the road with the headlights off in the center of town. The driver, later identified as Young, had parked in a lot near Towne Market in Merrimac Square, according to court records.
Ringuette saw Young's van in the lot with its front driver's door ajar and saw Young get into the van and start the engine. She backed out of the lot at such high speed that her tires squealed, Ringuette wrote in his report. She then turned onto East Main Street, again with her headlights off.
Ringuette followed and immediately saw her weaving, then driving in the opposite lane. She also passed slower vehicles by crossing into the opposite lane, according to the report. Young turned onto Mechanic Street, striking a curb while making the turn.
The officer turned on his lights and blared his siren in an attempt to get her to pull over. Young continued driving erratically and eventually turned onto West Main Street. Young continued driving until she pulled into her driveway.
In his report, Ringuette said he got out of his cruiser and drew his handgun "due to her reckless behavior that could have resulted in serious bodily harm or death."
The officer stated that Young got out of her van after he ordered her several times. The officer saw her drop a nip bottle, he stated.
She was then ordered to fall to her stomach so she could be handcuffed but again failed to comply. Instead, she wobbled around the van, almost losing her balance several times. She then ran into her porch as Ringuette reached for her shirt.
"When I grabbed her shirt, she fell onto a table that was on the porch face down. I advised her to put her hands behind her back and that she was under arrest," Ringuette wrote.
But Young continued resisting. Eventually, a neighbor helped Ringuette corral Young. At the police station, she complained of not feeling well and was taken to the Newburyport hospital for evaluation.
Staff writer Dave Rogers can be reached at drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.
