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An Essex driver faced several charges during his arraignment in Gloucester District Court on Tuesday, Oct. 11, accused of crashing into a telephone pole on Essex Avenue and fleeing the scene Monday, Oct 10, around 8:48 p.m.

The incident caused a scene in the neighborhood as residents responded to the crash and police searched for the driver.

Andrew Psalidas, 34, of 1 Lufkin St. in Essex was arrested on charges of leaving the scene of a property damage accident, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, possession of a Class A drug — a subsequent offense, a marked lanes violation and speeding.

Judge Michael A. Patten ordered him released on personal recognizance, according to court documents. He’s due back in court on Nov. 29.

Officers were dispatched to the area of 550 Essex Ave. after multiple 911 callers reported a black 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee had smashed into a telephone pole and shattered it at ground level.

As police were responding, dispatch said witnesses saw the driver get out of the SUV and run down Essex Avenue and go down behind 557 Essex Ave. Dispatch broadcast a description of a man with a beard wearing a “dingy orange sweatshirt,” jeans and a backpack.

Police found the Jeep upright with its airbags deployed and extensive damage to the front end and roof. It appeared the Jeep had rolled over. The Gloucester Fire Department responded and determined there was no one else in car.

Witnesses pointed to the address where they saw the driver flee and stated he had gone behind the home. Police searched but were unable to locate the driver in terrain that included dense vegetation.

Without any yaw or skid marks, police said it appeared the driver did not brake or attempt to avoid the pole and the Jeep rolled once before coming to rest in the front yard of 551 Essex Ave. Police suspected the car was traveling 50 mph, above the 35 mph speed limit.

Police confirmed who the registered driver was. Essex police who arrived on scene said witnesses told them they saw the driver place a brown paper bag off to the side of the road, which police found and secured.

At 9:26 p.m., police requested K-9 support from the Massachusetts State Police.

Other witnesses confirmed the driver’s identity and provided similar accounts of what happened. One witness told police the driver asked him for a ride, and when he was told “no,” he ran down Essex Avenue.

Around 9:49 p.m., a State Police K-9 arrived but the search did not turn up the driver.

Then at 10:19 p.m., an Essex police sergeant reported someone matching the driver’s description had been detained on Concord Street. Gloucester police went and arrested him.

Essex police had spotted a white Kia owned by someone known to the Jeep driver driving down Sumner Street onto Concord Street. Essex police stopped the car and confirmed the passenger matched the description of the Jeep driver who fled.

The report states the passenger had a black backpack containing a cellphone and was wearing a dingy orange sweatshirt covered with briars. He reportedly had pine needles in his hair. The Kia driver said Psalidas called to be picked up on Sumner Street and that was all the driver knew.

Later, police inventoried the brown paper bag and found a green plastic bag containing what appeared to be drug paraphernalia and a clear plastic bag with a white powdery substance police believed to be heroin, the report stated. They also found a key fob to a 2018 black Jeep Grand Cherokee. Gloucester police later received a stolen motor vehicle report for the Jeep from the Essex Police Department signed at 9:31 p.m. from someone known to Psalidas who told Essex police “it must have been stolen out of her driveway and she didn’t realize it,” the report stated.

In other news taken from the logs of the Gloucester Police and Fire departments:

8:11 a.m.: A disturbance was reported at Addison Gilbert Hospital on Washington Street.

5:23 p.m.: A disturbance was reported at a store at Gloucester Crossing Road.

11:44 a.m.: On Washington Street, a 28-year-old Gloucester resident was arrested and charged with a straight arrest warrant.

11:28 a.m.: Police planned to file a criminal complaint in court against a 30-year-old Lynn resident on charges of driving without a license and with failing to stop or yield.

9:52 a.m.: After a motor vehicle stop on Spring Street, police planned to file a criminal complaint in court. The log does not state any charges.

9:27 a.m.: Drug activity was reported on Cleveland and Sargent streets.

7:15 a.m.: A crash with property damage only was reported at Shepherd and Sargent streets

4:13 p.m.: Police responded to a disturbance on Prospect Street.

2:30 p.m.: A crash with property damage only was reported on Washington Street.

12:08 p.m.: Police could not locate reported vandalism on Harbor Loop.

10:44 a.m.: A report of a missing person was forwarded to another agency.

This story has been updated to correct the name of the street where police located the suspect in the hit-and-run crash. It was Sumner Street. 

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