Man faces 5th DUI allegation

A Somerville man with four drunk en driving convictions dating to 1983 faces a fifth offense and a possible vehicular homicide charge after an accident early yesterday on Interstate 93 south in Wilmington in which one of his passengers was killed and another severely injured.

Two other men whose car crashed into the wreck escaped with no injuries.

Joseph S. Dixon, 46, of Somerville is accused of a litany of charges as he recovers from injuries suffered in the crash, which occurred five months after the Registry of Motor Vehicles refused to reinstate Dixon's license. It was suspended for four years because he was a habitual offender. Dixon was driving on that suspended license yesterday.

Dixon's arraignment at Lahey Clinic Medical Center in Burlington was postponed because of the extent of Dixon's injuries, which police said are not life-threatening.

The accident happened about 1:30 a.m. when State Police say Dixon lost control of his 1997 Chevrolet Malibu as he was careering down I-93 just south of the Concord Street exit. After first swerving to the right, the car went across all lanes of traffic before striking a guardrail in the center median and spinning into the middle of the three southbound lanes. A female passenger was partially ejected and a male passenger fully ejected from the vehicle, police said.

Dixon's Malibu was then struck by a 2004 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, which was then struck by a 2005 Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck.

The female passenger in Dixon's car was flown to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center . The woman, whom State Police would not identify yesterday, was not wearing a seat belt. The male passenger, also not identified by police and not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Cadillac, Louis Logrippo, 59, of Methuen, and the driver of the pickup, David Cucinelli, 50, of Saugus, were uninjured. Neither could be reached for comment yesterday.

The southbound lanes of I-93 were closed after the accident .

Dixon was charged with operating to endanger while under the influence of alcohol resulting in motor vehicle homicide; a third offense of operating after suspension; and a fifth offense of operating under the influence.

The crash remains under investigation.

Dixon's driving record is a five-page list of operating under the influence and driving offenses, so many that the state Registry of Motor Vehicles revoked his license in October 2002 for four years .

In April, Dixon tried to have his license reinstated, but a state hearings officer refused, officials said. ``He must have sensed that he was still a risk," said a Registry of Motor Vehicles spokeswoman.

If he is convicted of a fifth driving under the influence charge, officials with the Registry of Motor Vehicles said, Dixon's license would be suspended for life.

Governor Mitt Romney last year signed a law that increases the penalties for drunken driving. Known as Melanie's Law, it provides new penalties for driving while intoxicated with a child in the car, and requires ignition interlock devices for certain repeat offenders. Under the law, Dixon could be charged with vehicular homicide by Middlesex District Attorney Martha Coakley .

A spokeswoman for Coakley said a decision had not been made and that the case was still in the hands of State Police.

Barbara Harrington , state executive director for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said yesterday's accident demonstrates the need for a Melanie's Law but also a mandatory seat belt measure in Massachusetts.

``Our seat belt use rate is now at 67 percent, and the national average is 82 percent," she said.

Mac Daniel can be reached at mdaniel@globe.com.