Quincy health official charged with drunk driving

Marli Caslli, the commissioner of Quincy's Department of Public Health, was arrested after allegedly driving drunk at over 100 mph. The incident occurred early Sunday morning on Route 3. Caslli has been charged with operating under the influence and speeding. He was arraigned on Monday in Quincy District Court, where he pleaded not guilty. Caslli was released on personal recognizance and has a pretrial hearing scheduled for June. His attorney, Scott Martin, said that Caslli disputes the allegations and considers himself an upstanding citizen. According to reports, a State Police trooper stopped Caslli while he was driving at high speed around 2 a.m. He claimed to be returning home from a restaurant in Boston’s Seaport District and stated that he had two drinks. The trooper noted a smell of alcohol, bloodshot eyes, and slurred speech. Caslli failed a field sobriety test, and a breathalyzer indicated his blood alcohol content was .097, exceeding the legal limit of .08. As of now, he remains in his position as the head of the Health Department. Caslli, 29, was appointed in 2021 during the COVID pandemic and has focused on various public health initiatives.