Milford Off-Duty Cop Injured, Hit By Alleged Lying Drunk Driver

MILFORD, MA—A Milford man is being held on $10,000 bail after being charged with hitting an off-duty police officer while driving under the influence, according to reports.

Ignacio Morocho, 42, South High Street, was arrested and charged with operating under the influence of liquor, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, misleading a police officer, failing to stop or yield and possessing an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle.

Around 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 6, Officer Todd Fletcher was dispatched to the intersection of Central and East streets for a report of a car crash with injuries. One vehicle was off the road and up on a sidewalk, and when Fletcher walked up to the driver's side, he noticed Carlos Sousa, who was off-duty at the time. Sousa had a laceration on his head and appeared to have suffered a head injury, said police. Sousa said he was driving east on Central when another vehicle coming from East Street went through a stop sign without stopping and hit his driver's side. It shot Sousa's vehicle into a stop sign and fire hydrant on East Street Ext. Both signs were ripped from the ground.

Sousa was eventually transported to Milford Hospital for his injuries.

The other vehicle sat running in the middle of the road on East Street Ext. with major front end damage to it. A man sitting in the driver's seat, later identified as Morocho, spoke with cops but only spoke Spanish. Officers detected a moderate smell of alcohol coming from him, his speech was slurred, and his eyes were bloodshot and glossy, according to the police report.

Ignacio told a translator/officer that he wasn't the driver of the car, but the passenger. He said he didn't know who the operator was, but that the operator fled the scene of the accident. He also said he didn't know where they were headed or where he had been picked up.

Police spotted Bud Light cans in the middle console and more empty cans in the back seat. Ignacio also had a straight warrant out for his arrest. He was arrested at the scene.

The car's owner, Wilson Zhunio, was placed in protective custody, but through the investigation, police found that Ignacio had been the driver of the motor vehicle. Wilson said he let Ignacio use his car for work purposes even though he doesn't have a license, according to the report.

Morocho is an Ecuadorian immigrant and had his not guilty plea entered for him at the arraignment, reports Wicked Local Milford. He allegedly drove through a stop sign at Central and East streets Tuesday night, and then struck the car driven by the off-duty officer.

Police Chief Tom O'Loughlin confirmed to Patch that Sousa suffered a concussion, but was treated and released the next day and is doing well.

Immigrations and Customs was also informed of Morocho's arrest.

Photo via Milford police