Mass. Firefighters Help Cops Catch Criminal

Oct. 07--HAVERHILL -- For the second time in less than a month, firefighters helped police catch a suspected criminal.

This time, the Fire Department helped an officer find an alleged two-time drunk driver who struck two parked cars and a fire hydrant Wednesday night, according to a police report.

The first incident happened the morning of Sept. 8, when the Fire Department sent the ladder truck to a River Street apartment building, where detectives were looking for a man accused of armed robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon who was believed to be hiding on the roof. A firefighter spotted the suspect crouched on the roof and police arrested Norman Evans, 25, of 368 River St.

In the second incident, on Wednesday night, several residents called police to report that a 1999 Chevrolet Blazer had struck two parked cars near Broadway and Dupre Avenue and then hit a fire hydrant at around 8 p.m., according to a police report. The callers also warned that the car was being driven erratically, police said.

Fire Engine 1, returning from another call, saw the Blazer on Washington Street and followed it while keeping police informed about where the vehicle was heading, police said.

Officer George Dekeon was in his cruiser on Broadway and drove toward the Blazer's location.

The Blazer finally pulled into the parking lot at Consentino Middle School, 685 Washington St., and stopped. Engine 1 stood by as Dekeon arrived a minute later and began his investigation, according to a police report.

Kimberly Racki, also known as Kimberly Phillips, 27, of 146 8th Ave., was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of liquor (second offense), driving after her license was suspended for driving under the influence of liquor, two counts of leaving the scene of an accident after causing property damage, and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

Racki gave off a very strong odor of alcohol and thought Dekeon was a firefighter, he wrote in his report. She failed field sobriety tests, police said. Racki admitted drinking three shots of liquor -- but insisted she wasn't drunk, according to the report.

Racki was convicted of drunken driving in Peabody District Court earlier this year, police said. The Registry of Motor Vehicles typically suspends the license of a person convicted on his or her first drunken driving offense for 45 days.

After Wednesday's incident, Haverhill District Court Judge Stephen Abany scheduled a pretrial conference for Nov. 9 and released Racki on her own recognizance.

The fire hydrant Racki struck with her car showed signs of being hit by a car but was not knocked out of service, police said.