On November 25, 2015 members of the Calvert County Sheriff’s
Office conducted a sobriety checkpoint along Maryland Rt. 231 in the area of
Sixes Road in Prince Frederick. The
checkpoint began at 6:38p.m. and had to be temporarily suspended at 7:13p.m.
due to a vehicle pursuit that stemmed from a vehicle evading the
checkpoint.
At 7:09 p.m. on
November 25, 2015, Cpl. Moschetto was assigned to work a sobriety checkpoint
along Maryland Rt. 231 in the area of Sixes Road. Cpl. Moschetto was assigned the observation
post at the west end of the sobriety checkpoint. As Cpl. Moschetto was clearing a traffic stop
on Sixes Rd at Pasture Ln Prince Frederick, Calvert County, Maryland, he
observed a blue 1993 Dodge Caravan, MD registration 7AL9127, traveling south on
Sixes Rd approaching him from behind at a high rate of speed. He checked the vehicle's speed by stationary
radar at 44 mph in a posted 30 mph zone.
The vehicle stopped behind him for several seconds before driving around
him.
Cpl. Moschetto
activated his emergency lights and the vehicle slowed down, pulled over into a
driveway, and appeared as if it was going to stop. The vehicle started to move again traveling
southbound on Sixes Rd. The vehicle sped
up, began passing other vehicles on blind curves, blind hills, and reached
speeds of 60 to 70 mph in a posted 30 mph zone.
Cpl. Moschetto activated his siren and the vehicle continued to
accelerate in an attempt to elude him.
Cpl. Moschetto
notified the Calvert Control Center of the incident and declared a vehicle
pursuit. The vehicle was crossing the
centerline numerous times, failed to stop at the intersection of Sixes Rd and
Sandy Point Rd (stop sign) as well as Sixes and Adelina Rd (stop sign). The vehicle continued south on Sixes Rd. The vehicle was weaving all over the roadway
consistent with an impaired driver. Cpl.
Moschetto advised Calvert Control that he believed that the driver, who was later
identified as Tony Johnson, was impaired/under the influence of alcohol.
Mr. Johnson passed
several more vehicles in a no passing zone (double yellow center lines), drove
into the oncoming lanes in a negligent and reckless manner, and continued at
speeds of 60 to 70 mph. Mr. Johnson
showed no regard to the public's safety.
Mr. Johnson
slowed and attempted to make a left turn onto Joe Harris Rd. Cpl. Moschetto attempted to block him from
turning onto Joe Harris Rd by pulling alongside of him to force him towards the
intersection of Sixes Rd and MD Rt 4, where other units had deployed stop
sticks.
Mr. Johnson
stopped, backed up, slightly sideswiping Cpl. Moschetto’s patrol vehicle, and
turned onto Joe Harris Rd in front of him.
Cpl. Moschetto pursued Mr. Johnson to 1790 Joe Harris Rd, where Mr.
Johnson attempted to make a right into the dirt driveway. Mr. Johnson was traveling too fast and yawed
straight into the bushes. Cpl. Moschetto
blocked Mr. Johnson from backing up by placing his patrol vehicle directly
behind his vehicle.
Mr. Johnson exited
his vehicle from the front passenger side door and attempted to flee the scene
on foot. Cpl. Moschetto exited his
patrol vehicle, pursued Mr. Johnson on foot and yelled for him to stop. Mr. Johnson failed to obey Cpl. Moschetto’s
commands. Cpl. Moschetto deployed his
agency issued Tazer which was effective and caused Mr. Johnson to fall to the
ground. Cpl. Moschetto gave Mr. Johnson
loud verbal commands to roll onto his stomach and place his hands behind his
back, where he complied.
Cpl. Moschetto
detected a very strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on Mr. Johnson’s breath
and person. Mr. Johnson had slurred
speech and very red glassy eyes. Mr. Johnson was helped to his feet where he
was unsteady on his feet, had poor balance, and took very wide based steps as
he walked. Mr. Johnson stated that he
was ok.
A records check on
the vehicle revealed the registration plates belonged to a 1998 Ford Crown
Victoria and the Dodge Caravan was unregistered and uninsured. A records check on Mr. Johnson revealed his
license was suspended and revoked as far back as 1980's and 1990's. A search of
the vehicle revealed 2 unopened 18 ounce "Bud Lite" beer bottles and
an unopened small miniature bottle of "Fireball". The alcohol was located in a plastic bag
attached to the driver's seat arm rest.
Based on Mr.
Johnson's driving, odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath and
person, red glassy eyes, slurred speech, poor balance, and his wide based
steps, Cpl. Moschetto determined that Mr. Johnson was under the influence of
alcohol and was unable to operate a vehicle safely.
Mr. Johnson was
charged with DUI Alcohol, DWI Alcohol, DWI Drugs or Drugs and alcohol, Fleeing
and eluding, Reckless Driving, Negligent Driving, Failure to drive right of
center, Passing in a no passing zone, Driving on a suspended license, Driving
on a revoked License, Driving an unregistered vehicle, Driving an uninsured
vehicle, and other moving violations.
Cpl. Moschetto’s
patrol vehicle sustained very minor damage from the collision with Mr.
Johnson's vehicle.
At 7:29p.m. deputies continued the checkpoint operation until 8:40 p.m. During these time frames a total of 806 vehicles entered the sobriety checkpoint. Two vehicles were pulled to the side which resulted in two CDS arrests being made for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia. The sobriety checkpoint was conducted as an educational effort to deter impaired driving during the Thanksgiving holiday season.
