Derby Storms Facebook
This unoccupied parked vehicle was struck by an alleged drunk driving. The impact sent the vehicle into the emergency entrance at Griffin Hospital in Derby.
An alleged drunk driver accused of crashing into the Griffin Hospital emergency room entrance already had a DUI charge pending in Shelton at the time of crash, court records show.
Stewart Paskiewich, 51, of Waterbury, is due in court in Derby Jan. 17.
According to police, Paskiewich was speeding up Division Street at about 2:15 a.m. June 1 when, instead of turning left or bearing right, he drove straight toward the emergency room.
The video below was posted on the Derby Police Department’s Facebook page in June.
As seen in the video, Paskiewich’s vehicle jumped the curb, went through a bush, and slammed into a parked vehicle, sending it through the emergency department’s sliding doors.
Surprisingly, no serious injuries were reported.
Police said Paskiewich wouldn’t answer questions about what happened.
Officer Bruce Giovanelli then applied and was granted a search warrant to review Paskiewich’s medical records.
Those records, according to police, contain the results of three breathalyzer tests, the first of which shows Paskiewich’s blood-alcohol content was four times above the legal limit about 20 minutes after the crash. Paskiewich’s alcohol levels were still elevated at 2:46 p.m., 12 hours after the wreck, according to a warrant.
Police then requested an arrest warrant, which was also granted. Paskiewich was formally charged Dec. 26 with driving under the influence and failing to stay in the proper driving lane.
But a separate court file shows that at the time of the wreck, Paskiewich had a drunk driving charge pending in Shelton after cops pulled him over May 16, 2018 at about 7 p.m. on Long Hill Avenue.
And he allegedly had another drunken encounter with Derby cops June 16, according to court records.
Police received a report of an intoxicated man on Seymour Avenue. Responding officers found Paskiewich sitting on a curb. He allegedly told cops he was waiting for a ride to McDonald’s, but cops thought he was drunk.
They called for medical assistance because Paskiewich didn’t know what day it was. Then a resident came out and showed police a video of Paskiewich allegedly looking into and then trying to open the door of the resident’s van.
Paskiewich said he thought it was his Uber.
He was given a ticket for creating a public disturbance.
