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DA: Cop who had just gotten off his shift was drunk and speeding when he plowed into a car early on New Year's Day

A gang-unit cop who'd just gotten off his shift slammed into a car on Columbia Road at 65 m.p.h. - in a 25-m.p.h. zone - with a blood-alcohol level well above the legal limit early on New Year's Day, prosecutors charged at his arraignment today.

Domenic Columbo, 39, was arraigned on two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and a single count of operating under the influence causing serious injury for the crash, which sent the other driver and his passenger to the hospital. Although the driver had relatively minor injuries, his passenger suffered a traumatic brain injury, multiple organ lacerations and multiple fractures. WBZ reports the man only started to walk again this week.

Columbo was released on personal recognizance.

According to the DA's office:

Assistant District Attorney Greer Spatz told the court that Columbo was driving home at about 3:25 that morning from his shift at the Youth Violence Strike Force base in his personal vehicle, a Ford F150 pickup truck. He was allegedly traveling at a speed of about 65 miles per hour outbound on Columbia Road, a 25 mph zone.

The hanging traffic signals at the intersection of Columbia Road and Ceylon Street were flashing yellow at this time, signaling drivers to slow down and use caution when approaching the intersection.

At about this time, the victims were travelling outbound on Columbia Road in a Honda Accord and also approaching the intersection. As the Accord turned left onto Ceylon Street, Columbo’s pickup sped through the intersection and crashed into the passenger’s side, badly damaging both vehicles. Several witnesses called 911; the defendant did not. ...

The defendant was transported to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where blood drawn at about 4:10 am showed alcohol in his system. Testing by the State Police Office of Alcohol Testing indicated a blood ethanol concentration of between 0.119% and 0.125%; the legal limit for driving is .08%.

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Comments

If he was drinking on duty while assigned to the gang unit he wasn't drinking alone.

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Just because Columbo wasn't drinking alone, that doesn't mean that his drinking on duty was excusable, or even understandable, especially since the accident that he got into ended up almost killing somebody.

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If he was considered drunk after his shift, doesn't this mean he was drinking while on duty ? Great role model's the Boston police promote to special detective units. Good choice, he'll just drink it off.

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The normal BPD shift change is at midnight, not 3 a.m., so maybe he got off his shift and hung around the task-force HQ drinking for awhile, to ring in the new year, or whatever.

Allegedly, of course.

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Or maybe got off duty at 12 and went to a bar after with co-workers?

Either way he was off duty but let’s continue to speculate wildly anonymously on a blog.

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Maybe he should drink responsibly and call an uber next time like his brother in blue did in Southie!! Oh wait then he would be facing carjacking, assualt and civil right charges!! Oh yeah no worries just stick with drunk driving pal!! Im sure after your 2 week paid suspension you will be right back out there protecting the citzens of Boston!!!

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