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Police: Conn. man arrested for OUI, had kids in car

HINGHAM (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) – A Conn. man was arrested in Hingham on Sunday for reportedly driving while intoxicated with two children under the age of 11 inside the car.

Police were dispatched to the intersection of Chief Justice Cushing Highway at East Street around 6:50 p.m. after another driver called to report an erratic, possibly intoxicated driver.

When officers arrived they said they spoke with the Paul Dimare, the 71-year-old caller, who told police that the man behind the wheel of the other vehicle was "all over the road." Dimare, who was traveling with his wife Swanee, was able to get the other driver to pull over, and quite possibly, could have prevented a fatal car crash.

Police approached the vehicle and found two children, ages 7 and 10, inside the car. They also noted that the car was still running and still in "drive." Police said the driver of the car had slurred speech, glassy eyes, smelled of alcohol and was swaying in the driver's seat.

The man told police he hadn't been drinking . Police said when he stepped out of the car to take a field sobriety test, he fell against the rear driver's side door and began stumbling. The man then told police he had two beers.

The man, identified as 44-year-old Bradford Belding, of Avon, was charged with OUI, OUI with child endangerment (two counts), driving with open container of alcohol, driving to endanger, driving with a suspended license.

Belding's right to drive in Massachusetts was suspended because of a pending drunk driving case on Martha's Vineyard. He also reportedly has another pending drunk driving case in Connecticut.

Belding's ex-wife is in custody of the children. He was scheduled to appear in court on Monday.

The Hingham Police Department is grateful that Paul Dimare called police; however, they do encourage people to stay in their car in this type of situation.

Paul and Swanee Dimare have no regrets.

"He may not have liked what happened, but I'll tell you what – he could have been in a casket or somebody else could've been or his kids could've been – that's the way I look at it. He's alive," Swanee told FOX 25's Heather Hegedus.

The Hingham Police Department launched a campaign a few years ago encouraging citizens to call 911 if there is an erratic driver on the road.