Fall River police officer on leave, held on bail, after second recent arrest

SOMERSET — Chief Todd Costa reports that the Somerset Police Department arrested and charged a man with OUI Wednesday afternoon.

On Wednesday, just before 4 p.m., a 911 caller reported having been involved in a motor vehicle crash. Though the caller, later identified as 48-year-old Andrew Crook, of Somerset was unable to provide a location, dispatch was able to triangulate the call to 1878 Wilbur Ave.

Responding officers located Crook in the driver’s seat of the running vehicle. Upon exiting the vehicle, officers allegedly observed that the front of Crook’s shirt was wet with some type of liquid. Officers also observed that he was unsteady on his feet, had slurred speech and smelled of alcohol.

Crook subsequently submitted to field sobriety testing, but was unable to complete all of the tests. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers located alcoholic beverage containers, one of which was partially consumed.

Crook did not report any injuries. He was taken into custody at the scene and transported to the Somerset Police Department for booking where he declined to take a chemical breath test.

The location and nature of the reported crash remains under investigation at this time. Though there was visible damage to Crook’s vehicle, he was unable to provide a location where the crash occurred. Somerset Police have not received any other reports of a crash or property damage.

Crook was arrested and charged with Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol and Possession of an Open Container of Alcohol in a Motor Vehicle. He has been placed on leave from the Fall River Police Department with this being his second recent arrest.

Crook is being held on $50,000 cash bail. He is expected to be arraigned Thursday in Fall River District Court.