Sleeping driver in running car awoken, arrested

BOSTON, December 20, 2022 — A motorist sleeping in his running car and causing a backup on the Sullivan Square onramp to Rt. 93 north in Charlestown was awoken and arrested Monday morning for numerous offenses, including driving while intoxicated and illegal possession of a loaded 9mm firearm, District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

JAMES CHARLES KNIGHT, 45, of Cambridge was charged in Charlestown BMC Monday with operating under the influence, illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition and possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance, subsequent offense.  Judge Lisa Ann Grant ordered Knight held in lieu of $10,000 bail, plus a stay away order from Charlestown with GPS monitoring.  Knight will return to court January 17 for a pre-trial hearing.

At about 4:15 a.m. on Monday an MBTA police officer came upon a blue Lexus with its headlights off at the I-93 north ramp in Sullivan Square.  Numerous cars were behind the Lexus, honking to get by.  The officer drove his cruiser next to the vehicle and noticed the driver, Knight, asleep with the car running.  The officer engaged his horn and siren to wake Knight, to no avail.  The officer then exited his cruiser and saw Knight’s vehicle, which was not in park, start to move forward with Knight still asleep.  The officer awoke Knight by banging on the car’s hood.

Noting a strong odor of alcohol, the officer conducted a field sobriety test.  The officer determined that Knight was intoxicated and placed him under arrest.  The officer searched Knight and seized $8,569 in cash held together by a rubber band. A subsequent search of Knight’s vehicle yielded a Polymer80 9mm handgun loaded with eight rounds and 33.7 grams of marijuana wrapped in individual plastic bags.

“This motorist is very lucky that his condition didn’t result in him or someone else getting injured or worse. It was fortunate that an officer happened upon this situation before it turned into something more tragic,” Hayden said.

James Borghesani, Chief of Communications