Winthrop man faces eighth drunk driving case

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

Despite having his driver’s license revoked for life by the state, a Winthrop man was behind the wheel Tuesday when he was arrested in Revere and charged with drunk driving -- eighth offense.

Joseph F. Limone has seven prior convictions dating back to 1970, according to Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s office. According to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, Limone has not had a valid driver’s license since at least 1985.

According to prosecutors, Limone has been convicted of drunk driving in Essex and Suffolk counties in 1983, Suffolk County in 1984, Essex County in 1987 and 1996, and Middlesex County in 2001 and 2007. The 2007 conviction is under appeal.

“There’s no excuse for a person with this driving record being on the road,” Conley said in a statement.

Limone, 60, of South Main Street in Winthrop, pleaded not guilty drunk driving, fifth or subsequent offense, in Chelsea District Court Wednesday where Conley’s office convinced a judge to hold him without bail pending a dangerousness hearing.

Limone is also charged with operating on a revoked license, furnishing a false name to police and civil infractions including making a harsh or objectionable noise in the operation of a motor vehicle, according to Conley’s office.

According to a State Police report, Limone was allegedly driving a 1988 Lincoln Town Car down Revere Beach Parkway around 5 p.m. Tuesday, tailgating a car in front of him while repeatedly shouting at the driver.

The driver pulled into a parking space followed by Limone who continued to shout at the driver of the now-stopped vehicle, State Police said. Trooper Shawn O’Neil, who was patrolling Revere Beach, tried to pull Limone over, but Limone allegedly drove off, prosecutors said.

Limone allegedly turned onto Beach Street, driving the wrong-way on the one-way street, prosecutors said. Limone stopped the car and identified himself as “Richard Fasanelli,’’ prosecutors said.

Troopers discovered a state identification card in his true name of Joseph Limone, prosecutors said. Asked how much alcohol he had been drinking, Limone allegedly replied, “two shots.”

O’Neil arrested Limone on drunk driving charges based on the odor of alchol and because e failed multiple field sobriety tests Limone, including being unable to recite portions of the alphabet, prosecutors said.

Limone allegedly fought with troopers, kicked out a window in a cruiser and repeatedly was hit with pepper spray following his arrest.

Limone’s attorney for the Revere arrest, John MacLachlan, did not immediately return a telephone call.

The Supreme Judicial Court will hear oral arguments Sept. 8 on a move by Middlesex prosecutors to reinstate Limone’s seventh drunk driving conviction, which was thrown out because he was stopped by an off-duty Somerville police officer in Woburn.

Limone allegedly hit the off-duty officer’s vehicle. The off-duty officer, who was in uniform after working a paid detail, took Limone’s keys and told Limone to stay in the car while he summoned Woburn police. Limone was then arrested for drunk driving.