Public safety report: Car crash lands man with OUI charge

Police arrested a man after responding to a report of an early-morning multi-vehicle car crash earlier this month.

According to police records, on March 13 at 3:01 a.m. officers responded to a report of a car crash on Summer Street. Upon arrival, officers encountered a damaged blue Toyota Camry and a damaged white Dodge Ram. They also reported finding a powdery substance in a tied-off corner bag that looked like it had been run over by a car. The corner bag was sent to the police crime lab for further investigation. 

Police said no one was at the scene of the crash.

However, police interviewed a woman who witnessed the crash, reporting that she said a black SUV that was no longer at the scene had struck the Toyota, causing the Toyota to strike the Dodge and three people run away from the scene. Police said the woman also witnessed the SUV drive away despite heavy damage to the front passenger-side wheel well. 

Police said officers found a damaged tire nearby and believe it belonged to the SUV. Marks from the rim of the car were visible on the road, which led officers to two more vehicles that had been struck. Police later located an SUV with a missing front passenger-side tire in the parking lot of McDevitt Middle School.

As the police were investigating the vehicle at McDevitt, a man arrived on scene and identified himself as Kleyvin Ruano Lopez, 21, of Waltham. Police were able to confirm the SUV belonged to him.

Officers arrested Ruano Lopez and charged him with operating under the influence of liquor, leaving the scene of property damage, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, operating an unregistered motor vehicle and operating an uninsured motor vehicle. 

Ruano Lopez pleaded not guilty to all charges on March 16 at Waltham District Court and will face a pretrial hearing on April 23.

A summary of additional police activity from March 12 to 15 is as follows:

On March 12 at 2:19 a.m., police responded to 200 Trapelo Road, home to the closed Fernald  School, where on-site security officers reported seeing a flashlight on the property. Police were unable to locate the source of the light.

On March 12 at 6:35 p.m., police responded to the Chipotle restaurant on Lexington Street where it was reported that a white van was following children. It turned out to be a misunderstanding.

On March 13 at 10:50 a.m., police responded to a call involving a sick raccoon on the porch of a Pond Street house. The raccoon was euthanized by officers via firearm.

On March 14 at 7:50 p.m., police responded to a residence on Stearns Hill Road where a man reported that a group of kids were bothering his dog. The group had left prior to police arrival. Police advised the man on what to do if the situation arose again.

On March 15 at 12:22 p.m., police responded to the Moody Street Fire Station to aid a woman with dementia.

On March 15 at 7:56 p.m., police responded to a residence on Middlesex Circle. A woman reported that a group of kids were running around and had been banging on her door. The group left prior to police arrival.

All information was obtained from spokespeople with the Waltham Police and Fire departments, the publicly available police blotter and police reports available at Waltham District Court.