By Katina Caraganis
MediaNews
LEOMINSTER — A Pepperell man who was scared for his girlfriend who became critically ill while shopping at BJ Wholesale Club in Leominster was arraigned Tuesday on a slew of charges after he hit multiple parked cars before fleeing the scene.
Officers responded to BJ’s Monday to assist the Fire Department, which was already at the scene on a separate call. Upon arrival, officers spoke with witnesses, who said that a man had struck two cars with his vehicle as he drove from the parking lot and down North Main Street.
Court documents showed the Fire Department responded to the wholesale club for a woman who was not breathing. It was determined the woman had overdosed on heroin and collapsed and was later transported to the hospital.
While firefighters were treating the woman at the scene, the woman’s boyfriend, later identified as Brian Damouras, 23, of 25 Jersey St., Pepperell, was growing agitated and was asking first responders to give her Narcan, which can help people in the midst of an overdose.
Damouras walked out of the store and got into a dark Mazda. A firefighter went over and opened the driver’s side door and tried to convince him not to drive away, according to court documents, because the firefighter suspected he was under the influence of heroin as well.
But Damouras sped from the scene with the door open and the firefighter still standing in the doorway, court documents said.
Leominster police Officer Kyle Mimnaugh, who was also dispatched to the scene, was turning into the parking lot when he said he noticed a car matching the description exiting at a high rate of speed.
He immediately turned around and followed the car, with his lights and sirens flashing, court documents said,
Mimnaugh noticed the car driving at a high rate of speed and weaving in and out of traffic.
When officers finally pulled Damouras over in the area of Happy Jack’s, he allegedly refused to get out of the car and had to be physically removed by Mimnaugh.
He was arraigned on two counts of reckless operation of a motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, two counts of leaving the scene of property damage, and assault with a dangerous weapon (the car).
Court records show he has open cases in both Lowell District Court and Ayer District Court.
Bail was set at $1,000 cash. He was due back in court Wednesday for a bail review hearing and then Oct. 7 for a pre-trial hearing.
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