A Massachusetts man who allegedly drove drunk before fleeing into the woods climbed a tree and refused to leave.
A Westborough District Court police report first obtained by The Metro West Daily News details the bizarre events.
On Monday, 37-year-old Hudson man Troy Prockett was arraigned on multiple charges, including third-offense drunken driving, failure to stop for police, resisting arrest, leaving the scene of property damage and disturbing the peace, Milford Daily News reported.
According to the report, State Trooper Michael J. McCammon was driving along the highway at 7 p.m. when he spotted Prockett in his car driving erratically before crashing into a snowbank.
Prockett allegedly sprinted out from the car, jumped over the guard rail and darted off into the woods. McCammon said he found Prockett's wallet inside the car, which reeked of booze.
Police with a search dog tracked the man's footprints in the snow, following the trail throughout the woods. Along the way police found a running jacket. Radio communications show that police searched for about an hour in single-digit temperatures before they spotted Prockett hiding 30 feet in a tree, WCVB reported.
When police told Prockett to surrender, the man allegedly refused in "very slurred speech," before asking officers: "If we had caught the guy who was driving and climbed higher in the tree.”
According to the report, officers told the suspect that they had followed only one set of footprints. Prockett's rebuttal was allegedly that the driver had "carried [Prockett] on his back."
It was at this point that Prockett rambled on about being an owl and "speaking about what a good guy he was," the report said.
Prockett then climbed higher into the tree, shaking the branches and saying, "Look, it's snowing," the report says.
Using a chainsaw to remove branches and a firefighters' aerial tower, authorities were able to remove Prockett and arrested him in the bucket as he and McCammon were lowered down.
Prockett allegedly told police he was scared to come down because he already had two drunk driving charges.
“Soooooo, I just decided to go for a little run,” police quoted the man as saying in the report.
Prockett was held on a $3,000 bail. He posted bail and was released.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
