Protesters say BPD officer was given preferential treatment after OUI crash

BOSTON – Protesters gathered outside of the Boston Police Department’s Roxbury station hoping to have their voices heard about the way the department handled accusations of a drunk driving crash against an officer.

The crash happened around 3:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day, when officer Domenic Columbo was allegedly drunk and crashed into a car with two men inside, seriously injuring 21-year-old Jose Teixeira.

The protesters claim Columbo was given special treatment at his arraignment last week when prosecutors did not object to his pre-trial release on personal recognizance. Columbo is facing a felony charge.

Protesters also say the Boston Police Department should have immediately fired Columbo, instead of suspending him with pay.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Suffolk County District Attorney said Columbo did not receive preferential treatment. The D.A.'s spokesperson even cited other serious OUI cases where prosecutors did not request bail.

"Bail requests are not a measure of how seriously we take a given case.  The defendant here faces a felony charge for a crime we are prosecuting aggressively.  We have nothing but sympathy for Mr. Texeira and his family, and we’re committed to finding justice for him at trial.”

Cox Media Group