ROWLEY — A local man is facing several motor vehicle-related charges after police say he flipped his car over early Sunday morning near the Bradford Tavern on Route 133 and fled from the scene before authorities arrived.
After a nearly three-hour search that involved departments from Ipswich, Georgetown, Newbury and a state police K-9, police were unable to locate the alleged driver, 47-year-old Robert D. Martineau. The Bradford Street resident was issued a summons for leaving the scene after property damage, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, speeding and marked lanes.
Rowley police Chief Robert Barker said details of the crash are still under investigation, but it appears Martineau was driving a rented Chrysler 200 sedan around 1 a.m. at a high rate of speed when he lost control of the vehicle and struck a telephone pole. The force of the crash snapped the pole and caused the car to flip onto its roof. The car managed to avoid hitting the Bradford Tavern building, but took out a large section of the popular restaurant’s fence. There were no reported injuries, Barker added.
Barker said it took police more time than usual to identify the driver since the car was registered to a rental company. By the time Martineau was tagged as the driver, he had left the area, police said. Since then, however, police have been in contact with Martineau’s attorney, who said his client would cooperate with authorities.
The town’s Light Department was called immediately to replace the damaged pole. The restaurant was closed at the time of the incident.
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