Published in the July 20, 2015 edition

WAKEFIELD — A Wakefield woman who is alleged to have left the scene of an accident after causing property damage and failed to stop for police was arrested just after 2 p.m. yesterday.

Police later determined she was driving drunk and arrested her on that charge, as well.

Patrol Officer Meaghan Leary was dispatched to McDonald’s Restaurant on Main Street at about 2 p.m. and learned that Lisa A. Merritt, 52, 34 Armory St. had been driving a blue Ford Escape when she was in a minor collision with a 2009 Ford Focus operated by a woman from Melrose.

Merritt was suspected of operating while under the influence of alcohol, and when Leary arrived at the scene Merritt had already left the area and was turning onto Main Street to head south. Leary followed Merritt and saw her turn right onto North Avenue and signaled for a stop, which Merritt allegedly first ignored. She did finally stop on North Avenue when Leary continued to follow her and, after questioning, Merritt was arrested on the OUI charge, failing to stop for a police officer, leaving the scene of property damage and driving to endanger. She also was cited for failing to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Main Street and North Avenue.

Merritt was arraigned today in Malden District Court.

Minor damage was noted on both vehicles, police said.

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A woman told police that while in a large group of people in the cafeteria at Wakefield Memorial High School Friday her $200 iPhone was stolen. Patrol Officer Cliff Perry responded to the call at about 3:15 p.m.

The theft is under investigation.

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A man who left his wallet in the center console of his vehicle Friday found it missing when he returned after shopping at a store on Lowell Street. The wallet contained credit cards, personal papers and an undetermined amount of cash.

Police spoke to the victim at about 8:35 p.m. and are now looking into the matter.

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In other police business over the weekend, beginning Friday:

• A Lovis Avenue resident was taken to Melrose-Wakefield Hospital at about 2:40 p.m. following a complaint about chest pain and a headache.

• A cell phone was reported as stolen at about 3:15 p.m. from the cafeteria at Wakefield Memorial High School.

• Police resolved a disturbance between neighbors on Salem Street at about 4:20 p.m.

• The Fire Department was notified about a small mulch fire at the intersection of Prospect Street and North Avenue at about 5:15 p.m.

• An elderly resident said to be agitated on Hart’s Hill Road required assistance. Police resolved the matter at about 5:45 p.m.

• A caller reported being threatened by a man at 6:05 p.m. Police resolved the matter.

• A disturbance involving dogs was resolved on Meriam Street just after 6 p.m.

• A tow company was notified at about 7 p.m. after a driver hit a manhole cover and his tire popped. The incident happened in the vicinity of North Avenue and Avon Street.

• A Pleasant Street woman who passed out was treated by Action Ambulance EMTs at about 7:45 p.m.

• A Bennett Street resident called police just after 10:30 p.m. to report that her home had been broken into and a vehicle left in the driveway with keys in the ignition had been stolen. Police are waiting for the victim to file a formal report before taking any action.

• A man on Indian Lane reportedly having a seizure inside a vehicle just before 11 p.m. was taken to Melrose-Wakefield Hospital for treatment.

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On Saturday:

• A verbal altercation between two men on Pitman Avenue was reported just before 1 a.m. The men left before arrival of police.

• The Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department was notified about a strong odor of gas inside Shaw’s Supermarket on Water Street just before 2 p.m. The Fire Department also was called to the site and it was determined that the odor was the smell of gasoline coming from a customer’s clothing.

• A Vernon Street resident asked police for help with removing a dead animal from her driveway at 2:20 p.m. She said the animal was scaring her small children.

• A caller from Highland Street notified police when he observed a neighbor digging a large hole with a backhoe just after 2:30 p.m. Police were unable to locate the backhoe operator.

• A caller told police he saw what looked like a man with a rifle in the Square at about 5:45 p.m., but police said the man was only carrying a cane.

• A cyclist who fell off a scooter on Salem Street at 6:15 p.m. drew the attention of State Police who then requested Wakefield police go to the scene. Police learned that the victim had fallen off a black and silver scooter and its owner picked it up and was last seen heading south on Montrose Avenue. The person operating the scooter required transportation to Melrose-Wakefield Hospital for treatment.

• Police notified Action Ambulance and the Fire Department at about 6:20 p.m. that a woman from Hart’s Hill Road needed attention due to chest pain. About an hour later, a man went to the police station due to bleeding from his leg. Action Ambulance and the Fire Department were also notified.

• An elderly man having difficulty breathing was taken to Beverly Hospital for treatment at about 8 p.m. An hour later, an elderly woman from Eustis Avenue was taken to Melrose-Wakefield Hospital following a complaint about a headache and blurred vision.

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On Sunday:

• A minor collision at the intersection of Greenwood and Spring streets was reported just after 9:30 a.m.

• A possible sick raccoon at the corner of Vernon and New Salem streets was reported just after 10:30 a.m. Police said the animal was gone on their arrival.

• Police asked a woman to stop yelling at drivers just after 11 a.m. following a report that she was causing a disturbance at the intersection of North Avenue and Armory Street.

• At about 1 p.m. police went to Elm Street and spoke to a homeowner about a possible break-in. Police found a small scratch located on a side door jamb and said it did not appear that anyone tried to break in.

• A woman from Main Street reportedly went into labor at 1:20 p.m. and was taken to Melrose-Wakefield Hospital.

• An elderly man from Foster Street was taken to a hospital after he told a family member he was not feeling well. The call was logged at 4:40 p.m. A similar call from an Albion Street resident was logged at about 9 p.m. and an elderly man was taken to a hospital.

• A citizen who became trapped in an ATM on Main Street called police for assistance at about 9:30 p.m. Police helped release the man.

• A person who was having trouble breathing was taken to Melrose-Wakefield Hospital at about 11:30 p.m.

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Today:

• Police assisted an elderly man who fell and could not get up at about 6 a.m. Action Ambulance and the Fire Department also responded.

• A person reportedly having a seizure on Richardson Avenue was taken to Melrose-Wakefield Hospital just after 7 a.m.

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The Fire Department responded to 37 calls over the weekend, 22 for medical aid.

On Friday, firefighters went to 39 Pine St. at 11:30 a.m. for a house lockout, the intersection of North Avenue and Prospect Street at 5:15 p.m. for a mulch fire, 222 Salem St. at 6:20 a.m. for a fire alarm set off by burned food, Cooper Street at 8 a.m. for a small campfire that needed to be extinguished and 109 Hopkins St. at 9:30 p.m. for a fire alarm set off by burned food.

On Saturday, a crew went to 309 Albion St. at 3:40 a.m. for a fire alarm system malfunction, 100 Quannapowitt Pkwy. at 6:30 a.m. for a fire alarm set off by workers causing dust in the area and 595 North Ave. (Lakeside Inn) at 10:40 a.m. for a fire alarm set off by a smoke condition in the kitchen from grill cleaning.

On Sunday, firefighters went to 79 Outlook Rd. at 10:30 a.m. for a fire alarm system malfunction, 410 Salem St. at 11:30 a.m. for a carbon monoxide detector malfunction, 448 Salem St. at 6:30 p.m. for a fire alarm system malfunction and 26 Sunset Dr. at 9:30 p.m. for a carbon monoxide detector malfunction.