Watch CBS News

Matt Amorello Admits Driving Drunk

HAVERHILL (CBS/AP) – Matt Amorello, the former head of the Big Dig, has admitted to driving drunk in an August accident.

In a hearing in Haverhill District Court Tuesday, a judge ordered Amorello to give up his driver's license for 45 days and pay up to $1,300 in fines. He must also enter an alcohol treatment program.

The judge ordered charges of drunken driving and leaving the scene of an accident continued without a finding.

Matt Amorello
Matt Amorello's mug shot in the police report after the accident.

It was not a plea deal and Amorello did not plead guilty to any charges.

He "admitted to sufficient facts," which means he agreed with the police report and the case is continued without a finding for a year.

If he stays out of trouble, the case will be dismissed on November 30, 2011.

Amorello was arrested in August after his Ford Explorer struck two parked cars on a street in Haverhill. Police said he continued to drive it even though a wheel had fallen off.  The SUV was later found at a car dealership with Amorello alone inside.

After his appearance in court Tuesday, Amorello said he regretted his actions.

"I made a terrible mistake, and I'll pay the consequences for that mistake," he told reporters.

WBZ-TV's Sera Congi Reports

Amorello, a former state senator, was appointed in 2002 to lead the Turnpike Authority, which oversaw the $15 billion Big Dig highway project.

He resigned under pressure from then-Gov. Mitt Romney in 2006 after a Big Dig tunnel ceiling collapse killed a woman.

(TM and © Copyright 2010 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.