A Boston police lieutenant was arrested in his driveway in Walpole early Sunday and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and negligent operation of a motor vehicle after a 911 caller reported an erratic driver, according to Boston police and court records.
Walpole police officers arrested John William Earley, 52, who was placed on administrative leave, according to a Tuesday statement by Boston police. The Boston police Bureau of Professional Standards is investigating the incident, the statement said.
Walpole police and Boston police declined to give further information Tuesday night.
It was Earley’s second OUI charge. His first offense occurred on Oct. 9, 2011, according to a police report filed in Wrentham District Court.
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A motorist called 911 at about 1:15 a.m. to report seeing a driver in a Dodge Ram pickup truck on Main Street nearly go off the road several times, the report said.
When police caught up to the truck, it was parked crooked in a residential driveway on Jean Street, with two tires on the sidewalk. Earley was seemingly passed out at the wheel, keys in hand, driver’s door open, the report said.
Earley had to brace himself to stand, slurred his words, was unable to form complete sentences, and offered a crumpled lottery ticket he had in his pocket when asked for his license, according to the report.
When asked if he’d been drinking, Earley replied: “Oh, God, yeah.”
He alternately said he’d been “drinking in my backyard” and “I was just coming from church,” the report said.
Because it began to rain and Earley was unable “to stand without tipping over,” the arresting officer did not conduct a field sobriety test. Earley refused to submit to a breath test, court records show.
Earley was arrested and taken to the police station for booking.
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Earley pleaded not guilty to the two misdemeanor charges at an arraignment hearing on Monday in Wrentham District Court, and Judge Thomas L. Finigan released Earley on his own recognizance, records show.
A lawyer for Earley was not listed in court records.
Isabela Rocha can be reached at isabela.rocha@globe.com. Tonya Alanez can be reached at tonya.alanez@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @talanez.