WCAC

by Chris Wangler

October 17, 2022

Late Saturday night, Ward 3 city councilor George Darcy allegedly struck another vehicle at Main and Lyman and fled the scene. 

The hit-and-run victim pursued Darcy into North Waltham and cornered him until Waltham Police arrived and arrested him. 

Darcy was arraigned in Waltham District Court Monday morning on charges of operating under the influence of liquor and leaving the scene of property damage.

A plea of not guilty was entered for the multi-term councilor. Released on personal recognizance, he will appear next in court on December 6. 

After the brief arraignment hearing, Darcy declined to comment on the allegations, but said he planned to hire an attorney. 

Chased and Arrested

According to a Waltham Police report, Darcy was heading northbound on Heard Street near the senior center when he struck the left rear end of another vehicle heading westbound on Main Street.

 

The male operator attempted to speak with Darcy, but the city councilor fled northbound on Lyman Street. 

The hit-and-run victim, who was not injured, pursued Darcy up to Beaver Street, then up Forest Street. 

 

Pulling into a cul-de-sac at Forest Circle, he blocked in Darcy’s gray Toyota sedan, which had sustained “heavy front end damage” in the collision, the report said. 

Waltham Police responded. Darcy told officers he was involved in a crash, but he gave an incorrect location and was unable to explain why he fled. 

The police report said he had glassy eyes, slurred speech and was unsteady on his feet. 

 

Darcy told officers he drank “two glasses of wine” at a Moody Street bar. Officers conducted field sobriety tests, including a one-leg stand. 

“Fearing that Darcy might fall over and injure himself, I had to stop the test,” said the report.

He was handcuffed and arrested. Darcy refused a Breathalyzer test, so his Massachusetts driver’s license was immediately suspended.

Ward 3 City Councilor

George Darcy is an unmarried, self-employed computer engineer and lifelong Waltham resident. 

Since 2004, he has been the Ward 3 city councilor, representing a large swath of North Waltham along the Lexington border.

 

A noted open space advocate, he co-founded the Waltham Land Trust and has submitted many city council resolutions on bike lanes, public Wi-Fi, Waltham farmland and other issues.

Darcy is also one of the council’s top proponents of government transparency.

 

In 2015, he helped to save the oversize sign of a beloved North Waltham liquor store after it went out of business. 

The Glendale Liquors sign had its liquor reference removed and now stands in Falzone Field on Trapelo Road.