RUMFORD — A local man pleaded not guilty Tuesday in 11th District Court to drunken driving and other charges stemming from a rollover on Memorial Day weekend.

James Christie, 24, of 639 Crescent Ave., was released on personal recognizance bail and ordered to appear for trial at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 13 in Rumford District Court.

He is charged with operating under the influence, driving to endanger, failing to notify police of a motor vehicle accident and disorderly conduct.

At 5:02 a.m. Saturday, Rumford police Cpl. Lawrence Winson and officer Dave Hodgson went to a rollover crash on Route 2 at the top of Falls Hill, according to Hodgson’s affidavit in Christie’s court record. The officers found the vehicle on its roof in the woods and no one around, Hodgson said.

While checking the area, a man told them he saw a guy wearing a red sweatshirt walking away from the vehicle down the hill. Winson went to the vehicle owner’s address and was told Christie took the vehicle about 25 minutes earlier following an argument, Hodgson wrote.

Hodgson said a firefighter at the scene told him Christie walked out of the woods back toward the vehicle and the two met by his cruiser.

“Christie refused to answer any of my questions and was very hostile,” Hodgson said. “Christie started yelling and swearing (and) he leaned over the hood of my cruiser and started banging his head on the hood.”

He said Christie was handcuffed and taken by Med-Care Ambulance to Rumford Hospital for an evaluation.

“I rode with Med-Care to the hospital because of his violent outbursts,” he said. “While en route, Christie stated, ‘Why am I being arrested just for rolling over a car?’”

Hodgson said that in the emergency room, “Christie was swearing at the staff and refused to allow anyone to check him.”

He was given medication “to help him calm down,” Hodgson said.

Christie must not use or possess illegal drugs or alcohol, and be subject to random searches of himself, his home and vehicle.

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