A New Ipswich man who was paralyzed from the waist down after getting into a single car accident in June will be arraigned in Superior Court later this month.
Gregory Steele, 26, will be arraigned at the Merrimack Superior Court on July 29, according to court documents. Steele has also been charged with a misdemeanor DWI offense, possession of marijuana, and transportation of drugs in a motor vehicle.
Steele was involved in a single vehicle accident on Interstate 93 northbound near exit 20 on June 9, with state police responding around 4:01 a.m., according to an affidavit on file with the Merrimack Superior Court.
An initial report indicated that Steele’s vehicle had struck a guardrail and that he was unresponsive.
When police arrived, EMTs on scene were attempting to remove Steele from the driver’s seat of the vehicle. There were no other occupants in Steele’s car, and no other vehicles involved in the accident.
State Trooper Christopher Martineau, the officer who filed the affidavit, said he observed multiple containers of alcohol throughout Steele’s vehicle — both opened and unopened — including a Budweiser bottle in the front center console. Martineau also located “green vegetative matter” and two glass smoking pipes in the vehicle.
Martineau first responded to the accident on Interstate 93 northbound near exit 20 at 4:01 a.m. on June 9, according to an affidavit on file at the Merrimack Superior Court. Martineau said in the affidavit that the initial report indicated that a vehicle struck a guardrail and that the operator was unresponsive.
Martineau said he noted the smell of alcohol on Steele’s breath during an on-scene interview. He also said Steele’s eyes were glossy and bloodshot, and that he was had to understand. Steele told police that he had drank much earlier in the day.
Steele was brought to Concord Hospital before police could conduct any field sobriety tests. Steele was arrested after he completed a CT scan.
There are no mentions of Steele’s BAC level in the affidavit, but it did say a blood test was requested.
During an on-scene interview with Steele, Martineau noted the smell of alcohol coming from his breath and that Steele’s eyes were glassy and bloodshot. Martineau said Steele was hard to understand, with slow speech.
Steele told police that he had had some Budweisers much earlier in the day.
Before Martineau could conduct any field sobriety tests, EMTs told him they needed to get Steele to a hospital. Martineau arrived at Concord Hospital at 5:31 a.m., according to the affidavit, as he had to check on another crash on his way. Steele was arrested after he completed a CT scan.
There is no mention of Steele’s BAC level in the affidavit, but a blood test was reportedly requested.
Many community members have come to Steele’s aid over the past month, with $14,677 donated to a GoFundMe account set up to help pay for his medical bills and other related expenses. Two donations of $5,000 or over have been submitted: one anonymous $5,500 donation, and a $5,000 donation said to be from former NBA superstar Tracy McGrady.