Driving on 3 tires gets woman 2nd DUI charge

By Alan Burke - The Salem News


BEVERLY — A woman on a mission to find cat food was arrested Friday for the second time in three days after she was stopped driving a vehicle with no headlights and only three tires.

According to the state police, Amelia Poisson, 42, of 30 Folly Pond Road, Beverly, was involved in a hit-and-run with property damage in Beverly on Wednesday.

She was arrested later that day in Manchester-by-the-Sea and charged with operating under the influence, a second offense.

Her badly damaged 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit was taken by Cross Towing.

Poisson lacked the insurance coverage to repair the vehicle, according to police. So she had it delivered to her home.

"And she proceeded to drive it," Trooper Carolyn Fountain said.

Poisson was spotted on Route 128, spewing sparks as she went, by off-duty Beverly police Sgt. John Vitale around 9:30 p.m. He alerted state police.

Subsequently, Poisson pulled off onto Route 1A in Beverly, where Fountain made the arrest.

Fountain reports asking her, "Didn't you realize that you shouldn't be driving a car with three tires and no headlights?"

According to Fountain, Poisson replied, "I noticed it when I got out on the highway, but I needed to get cat food."

Poisson was arrested again and charged again with driving under the influence — of drugs and alcohol — still a second offense because there has been no conviction stemming from Wednesday's arrest. Additional charges include driving after suspension and having defective equipment.

Poisson was released on bail, according to police.