Drunken Driver Allegedly Strikes Deputy, Leads Police on Chase from Danvers to North Andover

A driver that originally drew the attention of police on I-95 in Danvers early Wednesday morning was eventually arrested more than an hour later after a police chase through three towns that included allegedly striking a sheriff’s deputy.

Paul Tierney, 34, of Wilmington faces 12 charges, including his third charge of operating under the influence of liquor and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

It began at 1:27 a.m. in Danvers on I-95 southbound near the Ferncroft rotary. A trooper spotted a red Kia Sorrento and went to stop it. The Kia didn’t stop and headed south on I-95, getting off at the Centre Street exit.

“Once they came off the highway the trooper terminated the pursuit for safety reasons,” said Lt. Daniel Richard, a State Police spokesman.

Area police were alerted to be on the lookout for the sport utility vehicle.

The Kia was not seen for nearly an hour, until 2:25 a.m. when a Sheriff’s deputy saw the vehicle near the entrance to the Essex County jail on Manning Avenue in Middleton, near the Danvers line. During that encounter, a sheriff’s deputy was struck by the vehicle and a sheriff’s van was sideswiped as it fled, Richard said. It was not immediately clear the extent of the deputy's injuries.

Middleton police began pursuing the car and asked for assistance from State Police. The chase went eastbound on Route 62 to Route 1 and then headed back westbound on Route 62, leaving Danvers and returning to Middleton.

At 2:35 a.m., Middleton police broke off the chase as they were leaving down on Route 114 and State Police continued, headed into North Andover on Route 114 westbound.

Trooper Lisa Cote-Barthelmes followed the Kia through North Andover up Route 125 to the intersection of Massachusetts Ave, where Tierney allegedly got out of the vehicle. North Andover police had set out "stop sticks" but it wasn't know whether the vehicle hit the stop sticks. After he got out of the SUV, Cote-Barthelmes caught up with Tierney and arrested him.

The charges that Tierney faces include failure to stop for police, third offense of operating under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, operating with a revoked license, resisting arrest, speeding, open container of alcohol in a vehicle, marked lanes violation, failure to stop/yield, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a public employee, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident and trespassing on state/county property.