Essex Bridge Crash Results in OUI Charge

An alleged drunk driver crashed on the Essex Street Bridge in the early morning hours on Thursday. Two passengers said they were uninjured and the driver was treated at the scene, according to a report.

Jose Rivera, 48, of 8 Portland St., Lynn, was charged with operating under the influence of liquor, negligent operation, as well as a marked lane violation and speeding, court papers state.

Police responded to multiple 911 calls about the single-vehicle crash some time after midnight.

Officers saw a red Chevrolet Impala facing sideways in the wrong lane and resting against the wall of the bridge, Patrolman Todd Pierce, wrote in the report.

Rivera was treated at the scene by an ambulance crew but he refused further medical attention, police said.

The officer said the driver appeared unsteady on his feet and, at one point, tripped and fell when walking to the side of the road.

The driver registered a 0.180 blood alcohol content in a portable breath test at the scene, and later registered results of 0.195 and 0.192 in breath tests at the station, the report stated.

If a driver, aged 21 or over, takes a breath test and registers a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or higher, the operator is over the legal limit.

The red Impala was towed from the scene.

Rivera was arraigned in Lynn District Court on Thursday and released on personal recognizance.

He has a pretrial hearing scheduled for April 5.