Local radio personality charged with OUI, attacking trooper

WMEX host and one-time crime reporter Michele McPhee was arraigned today on charges of OUI and attacking the trooper trying to arrest her on an I-93 exit ramp early this morning after he allegedly failed to acknowledge knowing who she was or why that should make him let her go.

According to a State Police report, when Trooper Patrick Candeliere declined her repeated requests to call the head of State Police and the president of the state-trooper's union and instead tried to cuff her, she started a struggle that ended with both of them heading to Tufts Medical Center for observation - in her case, overnight.

At her arraignment in South Boston Municipal Court today, McPhee was released on personal recognizance on charges of OUI, assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest and failing to observe marked lanes.

She didn't make her normal 3-6 p.m. shift at WMEX, however. Instead, morning host Joe Ligotti filled in, praising her as "my dear friend, who I love, and support, and cherish" before mentioning that while he drinks coffee, one of his producers drinks tea, perhaps because of "the Asian culture thing."

The report, written by Candeliere said the events leading to McPhee's arrest started around 1 a.m. on I-93 northbound near Savin Hill Avenue when he noticed a Mercedes SUV swerving from lane to lane - at one point coming "within mere inches of sideswiping the jersey barrier on right side of the road."

At the Dot Ave. overpass, Candelliere writes, he turned on his cruiser lights and siren. "The Mercedes, in sequence, declerated, accelerated and declerated, bypassing the Exit 16 off-ramp. The Mercedes came to a slow rolling stop in the right lane beyond the Exit 16 off-ramp in South Boston."

He pulled up, smelled alcohol and asked her why she didn't get off as he tried to get her to do, he writes. He writes she told him she wasn't headed that way, because she was heading home to East Boston. She agreed, however, to get off at Exit 18, which he reports she did, more or less - after rolling the SUV over the curb and onto a sidewalk.

McPhee, who he wrote had bloodshot and glassy eyes and slurred speech, said she'd just gotten off work at WMEX in Marina Bay - in fact, her shift ends at 6 p.m. - and that she'd "defended cops for 30 years."

At his order, she got out of the vehicle, after first making sure to "adjust several knobs and levers on her steering column and dashboard" - and then pulling up her jeans, which were falling down. Then she got chatty:

McPhee reported the following, in order: HS Grad/UMASS Boston Graduate (Bachelor degree "Just barely graduated"), employed as reporter for ABC News and radio host for a radio station in Marina Bay (Quincy), which she identified and I was unable to understand. McPhee state that she has "defended the police for years" and requested that I contact Dana Pullman [president of the state troopers' union] so she could go home. McPhee listed several members of police agencies and Massachusetts State Police Colonel Timothy Alben as friends whom I should contact. McPhee continued by reporting the following during field interview, in order: No medication, not seeing a doctor, no injury, no medical problems, no diabetes. I asked McPhee about how much sleep she had on the previous day and she replied "Zero." I asked McPhee what she had done during the day and she stated "Work." McPhee stated that she got out of work at 9 P.M. and went out with her boyfriend. McPhee stated that she consumed dinner, after work, at Port 305 Restaurant in Marina Bay near the radio station. McPhee reported consuming "steak tips and stuff" for dinner.

McPhee again stated that she has advocated for police for several years and that I should know of her. I asked McPhee how much alcohol she had consumed and she stated, "Nothing ... well some wine at dinner." McPhee did not detail the quantity or total volume of alcoholic beverages that she had consumed."

When the trooper asked her to perform a series of field-sobriety tests, McPhee allegedly told him to "call any trooper, Dana Pullman or the Colonel so I can leave." When he demurred, she refused to do any more tests - at least until he said he felt she had been driving drunk and that he was placing her under arrest.

"Fine I'll do the tests, get me a supervisor!"

The trooper tried to cuff her. McPhee "grew billigerent, resistant and enraged."

McPhee physically counteracted my attempts to place her in handcuffs at the front of the Mercedes. I gained control of McPhee's left arm and she elbowed my chest with her right arm. McPhee proceded to kick her feet, striking me in the legs while stating "I'm calling the Colonel ... let me go ... get a supervisor." I radioed for help on my portable radio of struggling with McPhee for about 1 minute.

The struggle continued until another trooper and a Boston police officer arrived.

Officer Coyne ran to my location and gained control of McPhee's left arm. Officer Coyne, McPhee and I stumbled toward the sidewalk and fell to the ground. I traveled, in the air, over McPhee while still holding her right arm. I lost control of her arm and fell on my left hand, right forarm and right knee. McPhee continued to resist and was placed in hancuffs while on the sidewalk with the assistance of Officer Coyne. McPhee was able to free herself from the handcuff and they were re-applied.

At that point, he noticed blood coming from her face - some of which now coated his left hand and arm. He says she continued her "enraged and condescending statements/behavior" as she was being booked at the South Boston State Police barracks and before she was transported to Tufts - where he went for evaluation himself.

The Herald has her arraignment photo.

Innocent, etc.