DERBY – According to a police report, the Derby fire marshal was driving a city-owned vehicle when he was charged with driving under the influence.
David Marcarelli was charged in North Haven with operating under the influence on Dec. 23. The North Haven Police Department released a crash report to The Valley Indy on Jan. 13 detailing the allegation.
The city allows Marcarelli to drive a city-owned fire marshal truck.
According to the report, North Haven Police Officer Jason Diaz was sent at about 8:45 p.m. to investigate a motor vehicle crash on Montowese Avenue. A vehicle had allegedly swerved before crashing into someone’s front yard. The officer reported a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado registered to the City of Derby appeared to have crashed into bushes.
Diaz said he spoke with Marcarelli about what happened. He said Marcarelli said “I don’t know, I came around the corner, I’m too wide, I tried to, I over corrected and came up here.”
An eyewitness told the officer that the vehicle was swerving on Montowese Avenue before it left the roadway, hit a brick staircase attached to the front of one house, and drove into the bushes in front of a second house.
The Derby vehicle sustained front-end damage and had to be towed from the scene.
Marcarelli refused an alcohol test, according to the police crash report. He did not report being injured.
Marcarelli is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 11 in Superior Court in Meriden.
Linda Fusco, Derby Mayor Joseph DiMartino’s chief of staff, previously told The Valley Indy that Marcarelli is on paid administrative leave because of the charges.
Members of the Derby Board of Aldermen & Alderwomen met in executive session with their lawyer on Jan. 9 to discuss a “personnel matter involving the fire marshal,” according to the posted meeting agenda.
The board did not discuss the matter after leaving the executive session.
Executive session meetings are closed to the public. They are allowed under state law under certain circumstances, such as discussing a specific employee. The employee has the option to make the discussion public. Marcarelli did not participate in the Jan. 9 executive session.