METHUEN — City police can soon thank pro wrestler John Cena and his family for helping them take drunken drivers off the street.

Cena is a West Newbury native, and his father, John Cena Sr., is Methuen's municipal appraiser. The family is donating $2,077 to the Methuen Police Department to buy portable Breathalyzer equipment.

The famous WWE wrestler starred in a wrestling show called "Homecoming" at Triton Regional High School in Byfield on May 25, 2007. The event raised money to fight drunken driving and promote awareness about alcohol abuse.

A drunken driver crashed head-on into Cena's brother, West Newbury police Sgt. Daniel Cena, in early 2007. Daniel Cena was in a cruiser working as a Newbury officer at the time, and he suffered a broken leg and several lacerations. He has since returned to work.

Daniel Cena said during an interview that while results from portable Breathalyzers cannot be used as evidence in court, officers can use them during traffic stops as another mechanism to decide whether someone should be arrested for operating under the influence and brought back to the police station for further testing.

"It's just one more tool that the officers can use in the street to help," he said. "It's proved me wrong and it's proved me right."

The 2007 event in Byfield raised $32,800. Organizers have used the money to buy Breathalyzers for police in West Newbury, Groveland, Georgetown, Rowley, Newburyport, Amesbury, Merrimac and now Methuen. They have also donated $10,000 in scholarships, Daniel Cena said. He said there's still about $5,000 left from the event, and any area police departments interested in receiving Breathalyzer equipment can contact him at the West Newbury police station.

Methuen will receive two portable Breathalyzers, a simulator (the machine used to test the Breathalyzers' accuracy) and mouth pieces, Daniel Cena said.

"Very nice of the Cena family to make this donation to MPD," Methuen police Capt. Kristopher McCarthy said last week.

John Cena will be back in the area for a car show at Pentucket Regional High School on Aug. 15 in honor of West Newbury fire Lt. Kenneth Fowler, who died of a heart attack in 2007 at the age of 37. The wrestler will be there signing autographs, his brother said.

ÔÇæÔÇæÔÇæ

Join the discussion. To comment on stories and see what others are saying, log on to eagletribune.com.