Veteran MBTA Driver Faces Charges in Stoneham Accident

WOBURN, MA — A veteran Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority bus driver has been charged with driving under the influence of a prescription drug for an accident in Stoneham last November in which he is accused of hitting a parked van with his bus and then driving away.

In Woburn District Court on Monday, Paul Crowley, 52, of 161 Pleasant St., Melrose, agreed to a May 5 date for a motion to suppress statements in his case. Crowley has pleaded not guilty to charges of: operating under the influence of (prescription) drugs; leaving the scene of property damage, negligent operation of a motor vehicle; and failure to stop for police in the Nov. 10, 2016 accident.

Police allege that at 4:25 p.m. on Nov. 10, 2016, officers responded to Main and Hancock streets in Stoneham for a report of a bus hitting a motor vehicle . The 911 call came from a passenger on the bus. The van, which was unoccupied, had its side mirror destroyed. The damage was estimated at about $400.

Police located the bus on Route 28 North in Stoneham and attempted to stop it, but the driver, Crowley, a 12-year veteran MBTA dirver, failed to pull over . As a result, police were forced to cut off the bus from the front to stop it, according to court documents.

A passenger on the bus told police that she boarded the bus at Oak Grove Station just before 5 p.m. It was eight minutes late. As the bus drove off, its wheels rubbed along the curb. The driver drove to far to the right, striking tree branches and curbs along the way, according to police.

At the intersection of West Wyoming and Whittier Streets in Melrose, the bus struck an Xfinity van parked on the side of the road, police allege. The bus stopped abruptly and the driver exited, approaching the van and 30 seconds later he was back on the bus driving away, police allege.

During his interview with police, Crowley seemed impaired, according to police. He denied consuming any alcohol, but complained of having a cold although he denied taking any cold medication. Police noted his eyes were glasses and his pupils were at a pinpoint. He did tell police he took ibuprofen for back pain.

Police noted Crowley seemed and spoke in a low tone. His speech was slurred and he could not keep his balance, police stated.

When Crowley was questioned about why he thought the police were there, he allegedly responded, "Because I hit the van.''

Crowley allegedly told police that after hitting the parked van in Melrose, he stopped and left a note on the windshield with his information, but could not recall what he wrote, police allege. The operator of the van told police there was no note on his vehicle.

Police allege that Crowley then failed field sobriety tests.

Crowley allegedly admitted to police that he had taken three Percocets for back pain. Although he has a prescription for the drug, Crowley allegedly admitted he took more than he have and that he should have called in sick but he didn't want to lose his holiday pay.

Photo of Paul Crowley taken by Lisa Redmond/lisa.redmond@patch.com.