Man Drives on Rims Through Barrington

A Bristol man, 76, allegedly drove his car from Warren to town center Barrington last Friday afternoon, Sept. 6, on two rims – leaving tire debris on the road in his wake. The debris still litters County Road.

The car reportedly struck a curb in Warren and blew out the tires. Barrington police were alerted to the car by the Warren police department at about 3 pm.

By the time the vehicle got near the Coleman Realtor building at 210 County Road just north of the East Bay Bike Patch intersection, it was traveling north on the wrong side of the street on two tires and two rims on the passenger side of the vehicle, according to the police report.

The man apparently was searching for a place to pull over, said Barrington Police Chief John LaCross. He drove all the way to the Coleman Realtors lot before apparently finding a spot. 

A Barrington police officer responding to the incident found the car smoking from the heat generated by the rims on the roadway. He used a garden hose at the realty company to cool down the rims and the vehicle, LaCross said.

Traffic also got backed up for a while on County Road both north and south. The vehicle was towed to Bill’s Towing Service in Warren. No charges were filed. 

Barrington police did get a report on Saturday evening, Sept. 7, that a woman struck a tire on County Road near Mathewson Road about 8:45. It became lodged under her vehicle. The tire is believed to have come off of the Bristol man’s vehicle the day before.