SALEM — Joshua Boulay, the man Salem police say threatened another man who caught him breaking into his car, then, driving a stolen box truck, crashed into six parked cars Saturday night, is being held without bail.
Boulay, 24, of Tamworth, N.H., shook his head yesterday at his arraignment in Salem District Court as police Lt. Conrad Prosniewski read from a report detailing Boulay's wild ride through the streets of Salem and subsequent arrest.
Boulay's lawyer, Alice Jayne, says police may have the wrong man, suggesting that an identification of the suspect by the victim in the car break was questionable at best.
Police say, however, that they have the right person.
According to Patrolman Deni Gaito's report, he arrived on Geneva Street just before 10 p.m. to investigate a report of two men fighting.
David Ruiz told the officer that he'd just run into his house for a moment and returned to find a heavyset white male rummaging through his car.
The man — police say it was Boulay — was holding Ruiz's GPS.
A struggle ensued, and Ruiz allegedly pointed a 12-inch knife at Ruiz, then fled.
About 15 minutes later, Gaito, with Ruiz in the cruiser looking for the suspect, got a report about a white box truck that had just struck a car. As the cruiser got closer to the truck, Ruiz yelled, "That's him!"
But the truck didn't stop, eventually hitting six parked cars on Hazel, Ocean and Cabot streets.
He eventually bailed out of the damaged truck and was later found walking on Lafayette Street.
Police say that while cutting through a yard, he damaged a fence.
When police found him, Boulay smelled of alcohol and was "belligerent," spitting and banging his head inside the cruiser and yelling "(expletive) the police," Prosniewski said, and making lewd suggestions about what the officers could do.
Police also found a 12-inch knife on him. After his arrest, Boulay took a Breathalyzer and registered a .10. The legal limit is .08.
After hearing the report, Judge Richard Mori granted Prosniewski's request, saying, "I think he should be held."
Boulay pleaded not guilty to a total of 18 counts, including drunken driving, breaking and entering to a motor vehicle, assault with a dangerous weapon (a foot-long knife), disorderly conduct, driving to endanger, driving without a license, larceny, possession of burglarious tools, assault and battery, failing to stop for police, malicious destruction of property, and receiving a stolen vehicle, as well as six counts of leaving the scene of an accident.
He's due back in court on Friday for a dangerousness hearing, where prosecutors hope to convince a judge that Boulay is too risky to public safety to release.
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