Police: Man Who Crashed Pickup Into Icy Pond Will Be Charged With OUI

A man who was hospitalized after driving his pickup into an icy pond in Massachusetts Monday night was drunk at the time of the crash, police said.

Westwood police say they are filing charges against the driver, whose name has not been released.

The crash happened around 5:30 p.m. at Buckmaster Pond.

"When I saw him coming I was like, 'it's just a little bend in the road, but he's not going to be able to make this turn,'" witness Ray Sleight said.

Sleight and his wife, Maureen, were heading home when they saw the truck lose control on Pond Street, slam into a utility pole, cross the street, barrel through a wooden fence, down a park area and into icy Buckminster Pond.

"He was pushing the horn, 'beep, beep, beep, beep,' and the truck was still sitting on top of the ice," Sleight said. "As we were heading down towards it, we heard the ice crack and the truck went in."

Sleight and another man rushed over to help, fearing the worst.

"We couldn't see anything," said Sleight. "Then all of a sudden, a head popped up."

They grabbed scarfs from others who had stopped and tied them together, eventually lying down on the ice themselves to reach the man.

"Me and the other gentleman pulled him up by his arm out onto the ice," said Sleight. "Once he was on the ice, we dragged him to the shore."

Sleight says he didn't even think twice about risking his own life to help out a total stranger.

"I think anybody would do it," he said. "I would hope somebody in a different situation would help us, help us get out."

The driver, who police would only identify as a 40-year-old Westwood man, was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He is expected to make a full recovery.

The man will be summonsed to court at a later date. Charges against him include operating under the influence of liquor, negligent driving, marked lanes violation and speeding.

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