Crash nets OUI charge

    HOULTON — A Houlton woman was charged with driving while intoxicated with her 5-year-old son in the vehicle April 14 after she crashed her 1999 Jeep Cherokee.
    Meredith Green, 33, was charged with driving under the influence, driving to endanger and endangering the welfare of a child. Green has a conditional license prohibiting her from operating a vehicle after consuming alcohol.
    According to Houlton Police Chief Butch Asselin, at about 7:30 a.m. April 14, officer Stephen Nason was parked on Military Street when he happened to glance westerly toward the fire department and observed a large plume of dust at the Main and Military Street intersection. Officer Nason proceeded to the area and once he arrived, observed a motor vehicle crash where the vehicle had apparently gone through the yield sign at the end of Main Street, traveled across Military Street and came to rest in a clump of trees at the Hillview Avenue and Military Street intersection.
    Officer Nason also observed that the vehicle was on fire.
    “Realizing that he wasn’t going to extricate the operator out of the vehicle in time, officer Nason removed the fire extinguisher from the cruiser to extinguish the flames,” Asselin said. “As Officer Nason was using the extinguisher, people stopped to assist. One individual was able to remove Green from the vehicle. Green’s 5-year-old son was also removed safely from the vehicle.”
    While using the fire extinguisher, a gust of wind blew the dry chemical powder back into officer Nason’s face. He inhaled some of the powder, which later required him to seek medical attention.
    Houlton officer Erica Pelletier arrived on scene and assisted with the investigation. She observed Green had difficulty standing and keeping her eyes open. Green indicated that her son wanted something so she turned toward him, taking her eyes off the road.
    A U. S. Border Patrol agent witnessed Green’s operation on Main Street and indicated that she was traveling at an extremely high rate of speed. The agent also stated that he didn’t observe any brake lights from the rear of Green’s vehicle at the Main and Military Street intersection.
    Green and her son were transported to Houlton Regional Hospital, where a blood test was subsequently administered to Green. Green’s son was medically cleared and released to her sister. The Department of Health and Human Services was contacted and bail was set at $1,000. At DHHS’ request, a condition of bail was that Green could have no contact with her son.
    The 1999 Jeep Cherokee was a total loss.