Man charged with DWI after car takes out fence

A Hammond man was charged with felony aggravated driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident Monday night after his vehicle struck and knocked down a fence at Converse Welding, 267 High St., according to Watertown police.

Joe L. Brooks, 49, is charged with a felony because he has two prior convictions — felony DWI in December 2002 in Jefferson County and misdemeanor DWI in June 2000 in Schenectady County — police said.

The charge is additionally aggravated DWI because he had a breath test result of 0.21 percent blood alcohol content, police said. State law sets 0.18 percent as the threshold for aggravated DWI.

Watertown City Judge James C. Harberson ordered him held without bail in the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building.

Others charged with DWI:

■ Cory J. Streit, 23, of Selleck Road, Canton, also was charged Sunday with failure to keep right when he was stopped on Route 56 in Colton, St. Lawrence County sheriff's deputies said. His blood alcohol content was 0.12 percent. Under state law, a BAC of 0.08 percent or more constitutes intoxication.

■ Derrick N. Merrick, 20, Lisbon, also was charged Saturday with unlawful possession of marijuana and failure to keep right after he was in a one-car accident on County Route 27 in Lisbon, state police said. He had a BAC of 0.14 percent, police said.