SOUTH PORTLAND — A Portland man who allegedly struck a pedestrian and drove away called police more than three hours later to report that he was the driver involved in the crash.
Sgt. Steve Webster said 27-year-old Brett Catruch turned himself in to police around 9:15 p.m. Wednesday, more than three hours after the incident took place.
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The victim was hospitalized in critical condition Thursday night, according to police.
Webster said Catruch drove himself to the South Portland police station, where officers detected the odor of alcohol on his breath. He was given a Breathalyzer test and arrested on a charge of operating under the influence. Webster said officers never would have encouraged Catruch to drive himself to the police station if they had known he was intoxicated.
Catruch was also charged with leaving the scene of a personal injury accident and violating conditions of his release. Webster said Catruch was out on bail in connection with a previous drunken-driving conviction.
Catruch was being held without bail Thursday night at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland pending his arraignment in a Portland court Friday.
Webster said police received a call at 6:10 p.m. Wednesday about a man lying in the road at Broadway and Harriet Street. When officers arrived, they found a man in his late 20s lying unconscious with life-threatening injuries. Officers concluded that the victim had been hit by a motor vehicle.
The victim, who is from Portland, was taken by ambulance to Maine Medical Center in Portland. Webster said the victim suffered severe head injuries.
Authorities are not releasing his name, pending notification of his relatives. Webster said the man did not have any identification on him.
The accident remains under investigation.
Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:
dhoey@pressherald.com
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