A 22-year-old Massachusetts man was driving drunk when he crossed over the center lanes and hit a police cruiser head-on Wednesday night, according to the Winthrop Police Department.
Joseph Clemens, of Winthrop, was arrested and charged with operating under the influence of liquor, marked lanes violation, speeding, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and possession of open containers of alcohol in a motor vehicle.
At about 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, a Winthrop Police Officer was driving southeast on Veteran’s Road when a Ram 1500 pickup truck traveling northwest crossed the marked center lines and began driving on the wrong side of the road, police said.
The truck then hit the police cruiser head-on, police said.
The officer who was driving the cruiser was taken to the hospital. The officer’s injuries were non-life-threatening. Clemens was not injured.
Both vehicles had “significant” front-end body damage and were towed from the scene, police said.
Clemens was arrested and was arraigned in East Boston District Court on Thursday.
