GROTON — On Thursday, April 23, 2026, at approximately 7:51 p.m., Groton Police Officer Tyler Melanson was dispatched to 12A Dorothy Place following a report of an incident involving a man who had left the scene in a vehicle.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narrative of Officer Tyler Melanson and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)
“The reporting party, identified as Mr. Peter Guilmette, stated that the other involved party had [redacted] and then left the scene driving a vehicle bearing MA Reg# [# redacted] (2004, Cadillac DeVille, yellow),” Officer Melanson wrote.
While en route, Officer Melanson said he observed the vehicle traveling westbound on Boston Road, Route 119, near 164 Boston Road.
“I radioed dispatch and advised the location and direction of travel of the vehicle. I turned around and attempted to catch up to the vehicle,” Officer Melanson said. “Sergeant [Kevin] Henehan and I effected a motor vehicle stop on the vehicle at 167 Main Street.”
Officer Melanson said he and Sergeant Henehan stopped the vehicle at 167 Main Street.
“Sergeant Henehan and I walked up to the vehicle and greeted the operator and sole occupant of the vehicle, later identified by his Kentucky driver’s license as Mr. Keith Ray,” Officer Melanson said.
According to police, Keith D. Ray, 50, is a resident of Fitchburg, MA.
Ray told police that he had just moved to Massachusetts and now lives in Fitchburg.
“I advised Mr. Ray that we had stopped him because we had received a report that he had been involved in [redacted] and that he was intoxicated while driving,” Officer Melanson said. “Mr. Ray exited the vehicle and explained to us that he was hired by Mr. Guilmette to assist him with some tree work at his residence.”
Officer Melanson said Ray stated he did not want to leave because he had been drinking but felt he had no other option.
While speaking with Ray, Officer Melanson said he noticed signs of intoxication.
“I detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath and person. I observed Mr. Ray’s eyes were glassy and bloodshot,” Officer Melanson said. “Mr. Ray admitted to consuming two nip bottles of
Jim Beam Apple approximately one hour prior. I asked if he had consumed any food today. He stated he had
eaten lunch earlier.”
Officer Melanson then asked Ray to perform standardized field sobriety tests, and Ray agreed.
“We walked to the sidewalk adjacent to Main Street that was illuminated by nearby street lamps,” Officer Melanson said. “The surface was flat, free from debris and major defects, and was recently paved.”
The first test that Officer Melanson asked Ray to perform was the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus.
According to findlaw.com, the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test is a field sobriety test where an officer has an individual follow an object (such as a pen tip or pen light) with his/her eyes. The HGN test checks for the involuntary jerking of one’s eyes as they gaze side to side. This involuntary jerkiness is said to increase while under the influence of alcohol.
“I observed Mr. Ray’s eyes to have equal pupil size and equal tracking,” Officer Melanson said. “I also observed a lack of smooth pursuit in both eyes and a distinct nystagmus at maximum deviation in both eyes.”
The second test that Officer Melanson asked Ray to perform was the Walk-and-Turn test.
The Walk-and-Turn test requires the individual to walk heel-to-toe in a straight line with their hands at their sides for about nine steps (counted out loud), then turn around and return to the starting point in the same way.
“Mr. Ray stood and swayed slightly from left to right in the prescribed stance during the instructional phase,” Officer Melanson said. “While walking the initial nine heel to toe steps, he missed heel to toe twice by a gap of greater than three inches. He raised his arms more than six inches away from his sides. On his return nine steps, he missed heel to toe three times by a gap greater than three inches, stepped off the line twice, and utilized his arms for balance the entire way. One of the times he stepped off the line, he stepped approximately two feet to his right, almost walking into the short rock wall next to the sidewalk.”
The third test Officer Melanson asked Ray to perform was the One Leg Stand. This test involves lifting one leg about six inches from the ground, while holding the foot in a position parallel to the ground, with arms kept at the sides.
“Mr. Ray swayed throughout the One Leg Stand, raised his arms for balance at least 12 inches from his sides, and put his foot down after counting to one thousand fifteen,” Officer Melanson said. “While counting, Mr. Ray also said the number five twice.”
The fourth test Officer Melanson asked Ray to perform was the Alphabet Test.
“I asked Mr. Ray what his highest level of education was,” Officer Melanson said. “He stated he had completed his GED. I asked him if he was familiar with and understood the English alphabet. He stated he did. I requested Mr. Ray to recite the alphabet starting with the letter ‘D’ as in dog to the letter ‘W’ as in whiskey. He stated he understood. Mr. Ray started with the letter ‘D’ then got to ‘E.’ He then paused for approximately three seconds before starting again with the letter ‘E.’ He recited the rest of the alphabet in very quick succession until he got to the letter ‘X.’ He then spontaneously uttered, ‘Sh*t. I was supposed to stop at ‘W.'”
The fifth, and final, test Officer Melanson asked Ray to perform was the PBT (Portable Breath Test).
“The last test I offered was the Portable Breath Test device,” Officer Melanson said. “Mr. Ray provided a breath sample that gave a result of 0.115%.”
At around this time, Officer Melanson said he formed the opinion that Ray was under the influence of liquor.
“He was placed under arrest, handcuffed (double locked), and placed in the rear of my cruiser,” Officer Melanson said. “Mr. Ray’s vehicle was towed from the scene by Groton Collision Repair.”
Officer Melanson then transported Ray back to the Groton Police Department for booking.
“While en route, I detected a strong odor of alcoholic beverage emanating from the rear of my cruiser that was not present at the start of my shift,” Officer Melanson said.
At the station, Officer Melanson said Ray was booked and afforded all applicable rights.
“He was advised of his Miranda warning rights which were read to him and signed indicating that he understood his rights,” Officer Melanson said. “He was also advised of his rights detailed on the Statutory Rights and Consent Form. He acknowledged that he understood his rights and elected to take the evidentiary breath test. He signed the Statutory Rights and Consent Form indicating his acknowledgement of these rights.”
Officer Melanson said the results of Ray’s test were 0.100% for the first breath sample, 0.081% for the calibration check, and 0.096% for the second sample.
“Mr. Ray was advised of his results and provided a copy, including the notice of suspension,” Officer Melanson said.
While reviewing Ray’s criminal history, Officer Melanson said he noted that Ray had a prior listed OUI disposition in Kentucky. On January 24, 2018, Ray was charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, first offense, out of the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office in Owensboro, Kentucky. Officer Melanson said the disposition was guilty, and Ray was sentenced to two years of unsupervised probation and a $375 fine. He also had two other listed OUI charges from Kentucky without clear dispositions.
Officer Melanson said that, as a result, Ray was charged with OUI – Second Offense.
Ray’s bail was set at $250.
Ray was unable to post bail and was placed in a holding cell at approximately 10:19 p.m. pending transport to Ayer District Court for his arraignment on the morning of Friday, April 24, 2026.
Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story took place in April, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.
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