# Police: Suspected drunken driver rams truck into Newbury cruiser



## DeputyFife (Jun 28, 2005)

Police: Suspected drunken driver rams truck into Newbury cruiser
*By Dan Atkinson , Staff Writer*
Daily News of Newburyport

NEWBURY - A Newbury police officer sustained serious injuries after his cruiser was rammed by a suspected drunken driver on Route 1 last night.

Officer Daniel Cena suffered serious injuries when a pickup truck hit his cruiser head-on near the Old Newbury Golf Club, according to Chief Michael Reilly. Cena and the truck's driver were taken to Anna Jaques with non-threatening life injuries, Reilly said.

The state police were still reconstructing the scene at press time last night, but Reilly said the pickup truck driver appeared to be intoxicated and drifted into the northbound lane around 7 p.m., striking Cena's cruiser. Emergency responders needed to use the Jaws of Life to remove the victims from their vehicles.

Reilly could not identify the driver of the pickup truck.

Newbury police have had their share of accidents on Route 1 before. In December 2005, Officer Patty Fisher had to swerve to avoid a car backing out of a driveway and fishtailed into a telephone pole. Fisher was taken to the hospital for observation, and the other car's driver was cited for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle and failing to use caution while entering a roadway.

Reilly said it was better for a police cruiser to be hit than another car, although no accidents would be best of all.

"Better a cruiser than a family of four, but no one wishes for an accident," he said.

Reilly spent several hours with Cena at the hospital, and said other Newbury officers were there to lend support as well. Cena was "holding his own," Reilly said.

"His health is of the utmost importance," Reilly said. "Cruisers can be replaced."

Police officers from Newburyport and Rowley directed traffic around the site.

*By Dan Atkinson , Staff Writer*
Daily News of Newburyport

NEWBURY - A Newbury police officer sustained serious injuries after his cruiser was rammed by a suspected drunken driver on Route 1 last night.

Officer Daniel Cena suffered serious injuries when a pickup truck hit his cruiser head-on near the Old Newbury Golf Club, according to Chief Michael Reilly. Cena and the truck's driver were taken to Anna Jaques with non-threatening life injuries, Reilly said.

The state police were still reconstructing the scene at press time last night, but Reilly said the pickup truck driver appeared to be intoxicated and drifted into the northbound lane around 7 p.m., striking Cena's cruiser. Emergency responders needed to use the Jaws of Life to remove the victims from their vehicles.

Reilly could not identify the driver of the pickup truck.

Newbury police have had their share of accidents on Route 1 before. In December 2005, Officer Patty Fisher had to swerve to avoid a car backing out of a driveway and fishtailed into a telephone pole. Fisher was taken to the hospital for observation, and the other car's driver was cited for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle and failing to use caution while entering a roadway.

Reilly said it was better for a police cruiser to be hit than another car, although no accidents would be best of all.

"Better a cruiser than a family of four, but no one wishes for an accident," he said.

Reilly spent several hours with Cena at the hospital, and said other Newbury officers were there to lend support as well. Cena was "holding his own," Reilly said.

"His health is of the utmost importance," Reilly said. "Cruisers can be replaced."

Police officers from Newburyport and Rowley directed traffic around the site.

Driver in cruiser crash had previous OUI arrests
*By Dan Atkinson , Staff Writer*
Daily News of Newburyport

NEWBURY - The driver whose pickup truck crashed into a Newbury police cruiser Monday was charged with drunken driving twice in the 1980s, court records show.

Robert Nolan, 46, of 805 Haverhill St., Rowley, was charged in 1980 and 1982 with driving while under the influence of alcohol and faces that same charge after smashing into a police cruiser driven by officer Daniel Cena.

Nolan is also charged with causing serious injury while driving under the influence, negligent driving and a marked lanes violation.

According to police reports, Nolan suffered a broken back and severe cuts in the crash. Cena suffered a broken leg and cuts. Nolan and Cena are in stable condition at Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport.

Cena had just finished issuing a summons Monday night when he asked to borrow a flashlight, according to police reports. He met with officers Stephen Jenkins and Lawrence Kent where they were working a detail assignment at the Old Newbury Golf Course.

The three were then joined by Sgt. John Lucey. Cena got the flashlight and drove north on Route 1, according to Kent. Five seconds later, the officers heard an explosion.

Nolan's Chevrolet pickup truck was in the northbound lane and Cena's cruiser was turned sideways across the road, according to reports.

Officers reportedly smelled alcohol on Nolan, who originally claimed he hit a tree. Nolan later admitted to having four beers at a Newburyport "club," but would not give the name of the establishment. He also refused a Breathalyzer test.


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## Guest (Feb 8, 2007)

pretty terrible accident, cena broke both of his legs. My buddy works in that department and apparently Dan Cena is the brother of the wrestler/actor/white rapper


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