The vice chairman of the Ogunquit Board of Selectmen was arrested in Wells last week on charges of driving under the influence, burglary and theft, after police say he took his vehicle from a garage where it had been impounded.
Ogunquit Selectman John Daley, photographed at a board meeting in 2019, is charged with driving under the influence, burglary and theft. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer
Selectman John M. Daley, 57, was arrested on Post Road in Wells around 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 18 and charged with operating under the influence, Capt. Gerald Congdon said in a news release on the Wells Police Department Facebook page. Daley was released on bail, but his gray 2017 Cadillac XT5 was impounded at Brown’s Service Center, at 208 Post Road.
The owner of the service center notified police around 7:35 a.m. on Jan. 19 that the vehicle had been stolen. Officers went to Daley’s home, spoke with him, then discovered the vehicle in his garage, Wells police said. He was charged at the scene with burglary and theft and given an arraignment date of March 5 in York Superior Court in Alfred.
Police say Daley got into Brown’s Service Center through an unsecured doorway and then drove the vehicle to his house.
Congdon told the Portsmouth Herald that it is common for police to impound a car for eight or 10 hours when someone is arrested on an OUI charge. Congdon said that because the car was technically impounded, Daley had no authority to remove it on his own. Congdon said the decision whether to pursue the charges will be made by York County District Attorney Kathryn Slattery.
Ogunquit’s Board of Selectmen, which consists of five members, canceled its Jan. 19 meeting for lack of a quorum. Four of five members attended Tuesday’s board meeting, with Daley absent. At the beginning of the meeting, Chairman Heath Ouellette told board members that Daley had asked to be excused.
Ouellette said Daley told him he needed to be excused so that he could attend to a “personal health matter.” Ouellette did not elaborate and the board voted 3-0 to excuse Daley. Selectwoman Lindsey Perry arrived late and did not take part in the vote. Ogunquit’s next select board meeting will be held Feb. 2. Daley’s term on the Board of Selectmen is due to expire in June.
Daley was charged with OUI in September 2019 by Ogunquit police. The Portsmouth Herald reported that those charges were later dismissed. Attempts to reach Daley on Tuesday evening were unsuccessful.
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