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DARTMOUTH — A 29-year-old town resident is charged with drunken driving after police said his sports utility vehicle struck a motorcycle Saturday afternoon and seriously injured the operator.
Daniel Gonet of 11 Emerald Drive is charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol with serious bodily injury, operating a motor vehicle to endanger, leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury and three counts of marked lanes violations.
The injured motorcyclist, identified as Stephan Baptista, 43, of Mattapoisett, was in fair condition Sunday at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston.
The crash occurred about 2 p.m. on Slocum Road near Sharp Street.
Lt. Ken Cotta, public information officer for the Dartmouth Police Department, said Mr. Baptista suffered severe injuries to his right leg, as well as head and back injuries.
Mr. Baptista was transported to St. Luke's Hospital and later flown by medical helicopter to the Boston hospital.
Lt. Cotta said Mr. Gonet's 1994 Nissan sports utility vehicle was traveling south on Slocum Road when it side-swiped the motorcycle, which was heading north.
Detectives George Perry and Paul Medeiros told the responding uniform officers that they spotted Mr. Gonet's SUV traveling south on Russells Mills Road in a reckless manner.
The two detectives followed the SUV into a parking lot on Russells Mills Road, about a half-mile from the crash scene.
Lt. Cotta said a witness identified Mr. Gonet's vehicle as the one that fled the scene. A witness also told police that Mr. Gonet crossed the double solid line into the path of the motorcycle.
Police said Mr. Gonet was arrested, booked and later transported to the Bristol County House of Correction, where he is being held on $3,000 bail.
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Originally Posted by 5TOEZ
