Wareham woman charged with drunk driving at Wareham High School

1 police officer injured while arresting 17-year-old
Sep 16, 2018

Police arrested a 47-year-old Wareham woman for drunk driving and her 17-year-old passenger near Wareham High School after school let out on Friday, Sept. 14, during a chaotic scene that left one police officer injured.

Jennifer Keaton has been charged with operating under the influence of liquor, child endangerment while operating under the influence of liquor and disturbing the peace. The teenager, who police are not identifying due to age, was charged with assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace and resisting arrest.

Police said officers responded to the school while it was letting out after Keaton reportedly drove drunk on school property. Officers stopped her car on Marion Road near the entrance of Viking Drive. While administering a field sobriety test, her passenger exited and started swearing and making obscene gestures at passing cars, police said. Officers then told the teenager to get back in the car, but she resisted and started swinging her arms, police say.  During the ensuing scuffle, two police officers and the teen fell to the ground. Police noted one of the arresting officers suffered a knee injury and was treated and released from Tobey Hospital.

At one point, officials noted an unknown person attempted to interfere with the arrest, but fled the scene. With traffic backing up, police called in additional officers for assistance and finished investigating the original complaint.

Acting Police Chief John Walcek praised officers and school officials, who reported the call, for their response.

“The officers and school administrators did a great job in preventing a more serious problem in this unfortunate incident,” said Walcek.