PORTLAND — A Carrabassett Valley selectman has entered a plea of not guilty to charges of driving under the influence of alcohol in connection with his arrest last month in Portland.
Stephen Pierce, 60, of Woody Creek Lane, was arrested March 6 after a worker at Fore Street Restaurant in the Old Port refused to serve him alcohol and called police.
Pierce had been scheduled to make an initial appearance in Portland District Court today.
Workers said Pierce had driven to the restaurant and parked across the street before coming inside. Police said he showed signs of intoxication.
Pierce was charged with having a blood alcohol content in excess of the .08 percent legal limit and also with refusing to comply with a blood test.
Authorities brought the second charge because an initial test allegedly showed Pierce’s blood alcohol content to be three times the legal limit to drive, but the test requires two samples and officers were unable to obtain a corroborating sample.
Pierce has no prior convictions for operating under the influence in the previous 10 years, according to court records.
Pierce’s lawyer, Stephen Schwartz of Portland, entered the not guilty plea on behalf of Pierce, who is free on bail. A dispositional conference has not been scheduled.
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