The island man responsible for toppling the 400-pound sculpture at the center of the Sparks Avenue roundabout last month admitted to drunk driving and negligent operation of a motor vehicle in Nantucket District Court Monday afternoon.
Sept. 19 charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and negligent operation of a motor vehicle will be continued without a finding for one-year against Charles F. Sayle III, 41, of Hooper Farm Road. He was ordered to complete a driver alcohol education program, forfeit his license for 45 days, and pay a $250 head-injury fee, $250 driver alcohol education program fee, $50 victim-witness fee, $50 OUI assessment fee, and $65 per month in probation fees.
Sayle was found not responsible for a charge of possessing an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle stemming from the same incident and had a charge of malicious destruction of property under $1,200 dismissed.
According to the statement of facts provided by the court, officer Chase P. Colasurdo arrived to the Sparks Ave., roundabout at 2am after receiving a report of a car accident in the area.
Colasurdo said Sayle drove over the center of the Spark’s Ave., roundabout striking the art instillation called “Figurative Journey” and that the sculpture was “completely destroyed” when it made contact with his car.
Colasurdo said Sayle denied medical treatment from the Nantucket Fire Department and had glassy, bloodshot eyes while speaking to Colasurdo. Colasurdo said he could also smell an odor of alcohol coming from Sayle’s mouth. He added that Sayle originally agreed to complete a series of field sobriety tests. After completing the ABCs and counting tests, he declined to complete the one leg stand test.
Colasurdo said Sayle was unsteady, lethargic, and swayed while performing the tests and moving around.
The sculpture was created by island artist John Evans. Evans said it would take some time to replace the sculpture at the time of the incident, but a new one has since been created earlier this month as you can see below.
In other Nantucket District Court news from Monday,
Calray Brown, 27, of Appleton Road, was arraigned on a July 29 charge of larceny under $1,200. He had a not-guilty plea entered on his behalf and was ordered to return to court Nov. 22 for a pretrial hearing.
Kieshawn Campbell, 23, of Orchid Place, was arraigned on a Sept. 14 charge of leaving the scene of property damage. He had a not-guilty plea entered on his behalf and was ordered to return to court Dec. 13 for a pretrial hearing.
Francesca D. Karlson, 41, of Ocean Ave., was arraigned on an Aug. 12 charge of leaving the scene of property damage. She had a not-guilty plea entered on her behalf and was ordered to return to court Nov. 29 for a pretrial hearing.
Karlson was also arraigned on a June 24 charge of credit card fraud under $1,200. She pleaded guilty to the charge and will be on probation for three months, pay a $50 victim-witness fee, and $50 per month in probation fees.
A May 24 charge of larceny under $1,200 will be continued without a finding for 60 days against Exequiel Martinez, 24, of East Providence, RI. He was ordered to pay a $50 victim-witness fee and $50 per month in probation fees.
After being continued without a finding for three months, Duncan Reid St. Clair, 46, of Nantucket, had a May 21 charge of negligent operation of a motor vehicle dismissed.
Pedro Tejada, 51, of Surfside Road, was arraigned on Oct. 24 charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. He had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf and was ordered to return to court Nov. 29 for a pretrial hearing.
