Police: Taunton man crashes through playground while driving drunk

TAUNTON, Mass. — Police say a man crashed into a park full of families of children while driving drunk in Taunton Friday night.

Investigators say it's a miracle no one was hurt when that Keith Carvalho's car went wildly out of control.

Witnesses say he missed the curve and drove straight through the wooden guard rail and 60 feet of chain link fence.

But when he tried to run away, they quickly stepped in to stop him.%

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Darlene Frates was headed past Hopewell Park when police say Carvalho rounded the curve out of control.

“Out of nowhere, this guy is 90 miles an hour, 80 miles an hour barreling down,” said Frates. “He went around a truck, he started fish tailing coming straight at me, if I hadn't pulled off the road into patch of woods, he would have hit me dead on, no question."

Instead, police say, Carvalho's Mercedes smashed through the fence, narrowly missing dozens of children playing in the park.%

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Police say he crawled out of the wreckage and tried to run, but witnesses surrounded him until officers arrived.

“People were like stopping him, they were herding him, they weren't touching him, they were herding him like cattle,” Frates explained.

According to court documents, Carvalho admitted to officers, "I [expletive] up, man, I'm drunk man, I need to go away man."

But police say during the arrest and later at the police station, Carvalho became combative -- cursing and hitting officers.

“During the booking, he assaulted three police officers, one of which sustained a broken hand,” said Lt. Paul Roderick.

Carvalho pleaded not guilty to multiple charges Monday, including OUI and assault and battery.

Police call him a frequent flier in their jail.

Cox Media Group