ack E. Robinson III, the US Senate candidate accused of sexual misconduct, plagiarism, and carrying a dangerous weapon, found himself in a new controversy yesterday: defending his behavior following a car accident on the Jamaicaway.
About 4 p.m. Tuesday, after being involved in a three-car collision, Robinson drove his 1999 Cadillac away from the scene while the other two drivers got out of their cars to assess damage and exchange information.
Robinson said he drove about 100 yards north to look for a safer place to pull over, but one of the other drivers believed he was attempting to flee and chased him in her car.
The crash occurred just hours after Robinson announced his candidacy, while he was being interviewed on a cellular phone by a radio reporter about his campaign. It follows other revelations about his past so troubling to party leaders they have abandoned his campaign.
Robinson yesterday strongly denied attempting to leave the scene of the accident.
''That's ridiculous,'' Robinson said.
The collision occurred at the intersection of the Jamaicaway and Bynner Street. A car being driven south by a 17-year-old man went out of control and crossed into the northbound lanes, hitting both Robinson's car and a 1993 Nissan driven by an Arlington woman. No one was hurt. The drivers of the other cars, and several others that skidded but did not collide, stopped and got out.
The Arlington woman said she saw Robinson pull away in his Cadillac, which had front-end damage, and jumped back into her car and chased him for a quarter of a mile, flashing her headlights several times before Robinson pulled over.
She said Robinson then told her he did not plan to report the accident because his car was rented from Avis Rent-a-Car. According to the woman, Robinson said, ''The insurance will take care of it.''
But she said at her insistence he agreed to exchange license, registration, and insurance information with her, then drive back to the accident scene and exchange information with the other driver.
Robinson yesterday confirmed that the woman followed him and flashed her lights, but said he had no intention of leaving the scene without exchanging information.
''I am not going to stop in the middle of the Jamaicaway and cause another accident,'' he said. ''When she wanted me to pull over, there were hundreds of cars descending on us.''
After giving the woman his name and driver's license number, Robinson said, he returned to the accident scene and pulled up on the sidewalk where the teenager's car had come to a stop.
Robinson's explanation about why he was able to pull up on the sidewalk when he returned to the scene, but not initially after the accident, was not entirely clear. He said traffic was lighter than before.
According to the State Police report, Robinson had left the scene by the time the police arrived but had given his personal information to the other two drivers. Robinson said he contacted State Police yesterday and intended to file a report.
The 17-year-old, Daniel A. Muse Jr. of Canton, was cited for speeding. Reached by the Globe yesterday, Muse declined to comment on the crash, but said Robinson was ''a real nice guy.''
At the time of the crash, Robinson was being interviewed by a reporter from WBUR in Boston about his candidacy and Governor Paul Cellucci's decision to withdraw support for his campaign. In the interview, which the station has replayed, Robinson is criticizing Cellucci for ''abdicating a United States Senate campaign'' when suddenly the faint sound of squealing tires can be heard, followed by several thuds. Robinson's tone quickly changes from agitated denunciation of the governor to a stunned, serious chagrin.
''I just got into an accident,'' Robinson said. ''Boy, everything is happening to me. Cellucci is withdrawing his support and people are sliding across the highway at me.''
During the interview with the Globe yesterday, Robinson said he felt fortunate to have avoided serious harm.
''I was lucky,'' Robinson said, citing his own quick reaction that he said saved him and the teenager from serious inury. ''I would have had a head-on collision on a day I had a head-on collision with the governor.''
Robinson told the Globe yesterday that he owns a Mercedes. It is not clear why he was driving the rented car.
The latest controversy comes as Robinson tries to launch a campaign against Democrat US Senator Edward M. Kennedy and address the airing of incidents in his personal life, from alleged sexual misconduct to a charge of carrying a concealed weapon.
In 1998, Robinson's former girlfriend took out a restraining order, alleging in a sworn statement that he forced her to have sex with him. Another woman has told the Globe he made unwanted sexual advances toward her on a blind date, including kissing her repeatedly and ignoring her protests.
Cellucci on Tuesday said the allegations were ''disturbing'' and that Robinson had not adequately addressed them.
Robinson, a cellular phone system entrepreneur, has vowed to spend up to $1 million of his own funds in the campaign, and plans to press on with his bid. Tomorrow he will hold an event to introduce his campaign team, including Harold Hubschman, a paid signature-gatherer who is also pushing a ballot initiative against Massachusetts Turnpike tolls.
In addition to the sexual misconduct accusations, Robinson has been found by a court to have violated the copyright of another author. He also was arrested in 1985 on suspicion of drunken driving. The charge was dropped when he passed a breath analysis test.
During the arrest he was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon, a star-shaped martial arts device. He disavowed any ownership and has said it was mistakenly placed in his jacket pocket. The case was continued for year.
Joanna Weiss and Tina Cassidy of the Globe Staff contributed to this report.
