Snow Plow Driver Causes Chaos After Allegedly Using Cocaine
A snowplow driver is in trouble after reportedly telling police he took a significant amount of cocaine before getting behind the wheel. Mark Keene, 46, is accused of causing widespread damage during a snow removal job in Connecticut, plowing through multiple properties and leaving a trail of about 500 feet.
This incident occurred on December 28, which was actually Keene’s first day with Bollinger Landscape. According to a warrant, he allegedly admitted to police that he had snorted “a block of cocaine” three times shortly after having a phone argument with his girlfriend.
Upon realizing what happened, he found himself in a snowplow in a driveway. When authorities arrived, he claimed he was simply waiting for a co-worker to show up and help with the snow.
Surveillance footage revealed a black pickup truck zigzagging across a front lawn before crashing into not just the stone wall of a property, but also a parked car, which then got pushed through a garage door. The video shows the extent of the vehicle’s erratic movements, which included damaging a balcony fence and colliding with various obstacles.
Keene reportedly did not believe he had caused any real harm at first, telling police he was uninjured and didn’t recognize it as a collision. However, during a field sobriety test, officers noted slurred speech and pinpoint pupils. Things escalated when he suddenly began to foam at the mouth and turn blue, prompting police to administer Narcan and transport him to the hospital.
While en route, he allegedly became combative with emergency responders, even biting an officer. By the time he was interviewed at the hospital, he had settled down. Toxicology reports later indicated that Keene had cocaine, benzodiazepines, and cannabinoids in his system.
The fallout from the incident was significant; images from the crash site showed a crushed car that had been forced against the ceiling of a garage, alongside others that were severely damaged. The total destruction spanned 434 feet.
On January 8, Keene turned himself in and was released after posting $15,000 bail. He was set to appear in court on January 20, but that date has since been pushed to February 25. He faces charges of drunk driving and reckless driving.
As of now, attempts to reach him for comment have been unsuccessful.
