DRUNK DRIVER WREAKS HAVOC IN CITY
By Gregory J. Lamoureux
County Courier
ST. ALBANS CITY: St. Albans Police chased a woman driving a Chrysler van Wednesday morning after she allegedly left the scene of an accident on Main Street moments before that.
According to police, the female driver, later identified as Julie Holcomb, 44, of St. Albans City, was driving drunk when she initially caused an accident on Main Street, and then fled down Lake Street.
Police caught up with her as she began driving north on Federal Street. She did a u-turn near the intersection of Kingman Street. Police continued to follow her, at which point she turned back onto Lake Street, and into the parking lot at Food City.
The woman lost control of her vehicle while turning into the parking lot, driving over the left curb and hitting a light pole.
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She continued into the parking lot where she struck a fire hydrant and four other vehicles. The impact of one of those vehicles pushed Holcomb’s vehicle into one of the unmarked police vehicles pursuing her.
Police jumped from their cruisers to pull Holcomb out of her vehicle while she attempted to back up.
Two officers tackled Holcomb in the parking lot as a third officer crawled through the passenger seat to gain control of the van.
According to St. Albans Police Chief, Gary Taylor, a preliminary breath test indicated that Holcomb’s blood alcohol content was 0.311%.
Taylor said he expected that Holcomb would be charged with multiple counts of leaving the scene of an accident, DUI, attempting to elude, as well as one count of careless and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.
The incident took place a few minutes before 11 am on Wednesday morning.
A public records search did not immediately indicate any previous record for Holcomb.
St. Albans police ask that anyone with information in connection with the case contact their department.
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