Police: Man led police on drunken, low-speed chase

NORWALK — A 72-year-old Norwalk man was three times the legal alcohol limit when he led police on a low-speed car chase, according to police.

Police responded to Main Avenue, in the area of Walmart, on Dec. 22, 2019, on reports of man driving erratically.

An officer responded to the scene and found Charles Schemera, 72, swerving in and out of his lane, nearly side-swiping vehicles parked on the side of the road.

Police said they tried to pull the driver over, at one point using the cruiser’s PA system to try and advise him to stop, but Schemera continued to drive.

Schemera drove more than 3 miles, going only 20 mph the whole time, before pulling over in a parking lot on Brook Street, police said.

At first, Schemera looked as though he was parking his car, but when he saw a police cruiser behind him, he pulled out of the

parking spot and drove in circles around the parking lot, police said.

Eventually, the officer said he got Schemera to stop the car, at which point he was placed under arrest.

However, Schemera told police he felt unwell and was transported to Norwalk Hospital for observation.

Police later learned Schemera had a blood alcohol content of .24 at the time of the incident and applied for a warrant for his arrest.

On Thursday, Schemera turned himself in to police. He was charged with reckless driving, engaging police in a pursuit, driving under the influence and failure to drive in the proper lane.

Schemera posted a $ 25,000 cashonly bond and was given a court date of Dec. 16.