David J. Menezes of Somerset, as he appeared in his booking photo.

Portsmouth Police Department

PORTSMOUTH — An 18-year-old man from Somerset turned himself in to police last week on a warrant following a three-vehicle crash that left several people injured on Dec. 2.

David J. Menezes, of 51 Clark St., was charged with driving under the influence, resulting in serious bodily injury (first offense), police said. He was also cited for reckless driving.

At about 7:45 p.m. on Dec. 2, officers responded to a report of a three-vehicle accident on West Main Road at Mail Coach Road.

Upon arrival at the scene, officers observed that a blue Saab had two front-seat occupants who had sustained serious injuries. They were identified as Menezes, the driver, and a juvenile in the passenger seat. 

“Both were extracted from the vehicle by the Portsmouth Fire Department. Two other juvenile passengers of the blue Saab, (who) had been seated in the back seat, were able to exit the vehicle and suffered what appeared to be minor injuries,” police stated in a press release.

An investigation revealed that Menezes had been driving behind a brown Honda in the left northbound lane of West Main Road, police said. He tried to pass the Honda by entering the southbound lanes of West Main Road and traveling against southbound traffic, according to police.

“The suspect vehicle then collided head on with a gray Chevrolet that had been traveling in the left southbound lane of West Main Road,” police said. “The force from the collision caused the gray Chevrolet to then crash into the brown Honda. The operator of the gray Chevrolet and the brown Honda suffered minor injuries.”

Menezes exhibited multiple signs of alcohol impairment, including a strong odor of alcohol emanating from his breath, police said.

“Within Menezes’s vehicle, officers observed multiple empty plastic ‘nip’ alcohol containers along with marijuana,” police said, adding that more empty nip bottles fell out of his pockets while he was being treated for injuries.

All involved in the crash were treated at the scene by the Portsmouth Fire Department and transported to local hospitals. 

After the Detective Division issued a warrant for his arrest, Menezes turned himself in at the police station at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 7. He was arraigned by a justice of the peace and released after posting $5,500 bail with surety, police said. 

Menezes will be formally arraigned in 2nd Division District Court in Newport on Thursday, Dec. 14.