HUDSON - A Worcester man facing his 11th drunken driving charge is being held without bail after a Marlboro District Court judge declared on Wednesday that he is a danger to the public.

Hudson Police arrested Mark S. Lehtola, on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. on Main Street after he fled a crash on the Interstate 290 connector.

An officer saw a Jeep Grand Cherokee parked on Main Street in a crosswalk, partly in the travel lane, according to a police report filed in Marlboro District Court. The Cherokee had been involved in a hit-and-run crash on the connector a few minutes before, police wrote.

The officer questioned the driver, later identified as Mr. Lehtola.

“His response was largely not understandable, but he did seem to have knowledge of the accident as he claimed to have spoken to the other party,” police wrote in the report.

The officer noticed a smell of alcohol coming from Mr. Lehtola’s breath and he was slurring his words. An open can of beer was in the center console, according to the report.

Mr. Lehtola had trouble reciting the alphabet and agreed to perform field sobriety tests. The officer wrote in the report he became concerned for Mr. Lehtola’s safety and stopped the tests.

After taking Mr. Lehtola into custody, police found a 16-ounce can of Natty Daddy beer and a half-full 750 milliliter bottle of Southern Comfort, police wrote in the report.

Mr. Lehtola blew a .21 on a breath analysis test, more than two and a half times the legal limit of .08, police wrote in the report.

After arresting Mr. Lehtola, police discovered that he had 10 previous driving under the influence convictions or continuances without a finding: Five were from Barnstable District Court (two in 1985, two in 1986 and one in 2006), two from Framingham District Court (both in 1992), two from Worcester District Court (1990 and 2001) and one in Westboro District Court (1995).

Police charged Mr. Lehtola, 59, of 63 Rodney St., with driving under the influence of alcohol (11th offense), driving with a license that had been suspended for drunken driving, leaving the scene of an accident and having an open container of alcohol.

According to state law, if convicted, Mr. Lehtola faces a minimum of 2½ in prison and as much as 5 years, as well as a fine up to $50,000.

Mr. Lehtola was ordered held without bail at his Marlboro District Court arraignment on Monday pending a hearing to determine if he is a danger to the public. At the hearing on Wednesday, he was ordered held without bail for at least 120 days.

Mr. Lehtola is due back in court on Jan. 7 for a probable cause hearing.

Jeff Malachowski contributed to this report.

