First Day on the Job: Snow-Plow Driver Allegedly Used Cocaine, Crashed Through Porch, Cars and Garage

KC Baker|People

Feb 3•3 min read

First Day on the Job: Snow-Plow Driver Allegedly Used Cocaine, Crashed Through Porch, Cars and Garage

Mark KeeneFairfield Police Department

Summary: On Dec. 28 at about 7:15 a.m., 46-year-old Mark Keene allegedly drove a snow-plow truck off the road in Fairfield, Conn., striking a porch, two cars and a garage. Officers say he displayed signs of impairment, later told police he took "three 'bumps' of cocaine," and tested positive for cocaine, benzodiazepines and cannabinoids. After reportedly foaming at the mouth and turning blue, an officer administered Narcan; Keene is accused of fighting EMTs and biting an officer. He turned himself in on Jan. 8, posted a $15,000 bond and is due in court Feb. 25.

A Connecticut snow-plow driver is facing criminal charges after police say he crashed a plow truck into multiple properties while allegedly under the influence of drugs on his first day of work.

Who: Mark Keene, 46, of Fairfield.

When: Early morning of Dec. 28, about 7:15 a.m. He was arrested on Jan. 8.

Where: Near Glen Ridge Road and Tahmore Drive, Fairfield, Conn.

What Happened

According to a warrant and surveillance footage cited by local outlets, Keene reportedly veered off the road while plowing. The truck mounted a walkway, drove across a front yard, struck a neighboring porch (causing one side to collapse), breached a stone wall and continued across a street into another driveway. Video shows the vehicle striking a sedan, pushing it into a closed garage and coming to rest under an SUV inside the garage.

The damage in Fairfield, Conn.Eyewitness News ABC7NY/YouTube

Officer and Witness Accounts

Responding officers found Keene in the truck. The warrant quotes him saying he "had no idea that he was just involved in a collision." Officers reported he had slurred speech and pinpoint pupils. Shortly afterward, Keene allegedly began foaming at the mouth and turned blue; an officer administered naloxone (Narcan) and emergency medical services were summoned.

While in the ambulance, police allege Keene struggled with EMTs and had to be restrained to the stretcher. Officers further allege he bit an officer’s hands and arms during the incident.

Drug Use and Testing

Keene later told police he had argued with his girlfriend by phone before beginning his plow route and that he had taken "three 'bumps' of cocaine," according to the warrant. Toxicology testing reportedly returned positive results for cocaine, benzodiazepines and cannabinoids. All drug- and behavior-related details are presented as allegations from the warrant and remain to be proven in court.

Employment and Charges

News reports indicate this occurred on Keene’s first day with a local landscaping company; the owner told police he had hired Keene the day before and assigned him to plow and sand two driveways that Keene allegedly did not complete.

Keene was booked on charges that include reckless driving and operating under the influence. He turned himself in on Jan. 8 and posted a $15,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 25, according to online records. It is not clear from public records whether he has retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.