Alleged 5-Time OUI Offender Drove into Malden River, ‘Taunted’ Responders After Chase
Melrose Police say a drunk driver led them on a chaotic chase last night before driving into a river and taunting responders attempting to save him. John Kellum, 42, of Melrose, had a revoked license and is now facing his fifth drunk driving charge.
The strange turn of events unfolded around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday after officers responded to a Spear Street residence where Kellum allegedly crashed into two parked cars. He then struck a Melrose police cruiser upon its arrival, and led police into Malden. Officials say Kellum “drove at’’ another Melrose cruiser during the chase, and lost a pick-up truck wheel after striking a curb. Still, police say, Kellum drove on with flat tires and on the car’s rims.
He then drove into the Malden River as officers watched, they say, and left his car to wade into waist-deep waters. There, Kellum “swam away from’’ and “taunted’’ the responding firefighters who were trying to help him out. The driver was eventually pulled from the river and taken to a local hospital.
“Kellum reportedly drove a vehicle at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour in residential areas, rammed a police car, knocked over mail boxes, blew out the vehicle’s tires, and then drove into a river,’’ Officials said Monday. “His alleged actions demonstrate what a serious public safety threat someone is when they are allegedly driving drunk.’’
Kellum is known to police, as his license was not valid and he was already facing charges for four other alleged drunk driving incidents. He now faces at least seven charges additional charges, including driving with a revoked license, failure to stop for police, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (his car), using a vehicle without authority, reckless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident.
The officers in the targeted cruisers were not hurt, and no one else was injured in the chase or the following squabble.
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