SOUTH SALEM, N.Y. - Snowy conditions toward the end of December led to numerous calls for assistance involving stuck vehicles and traffic accidents throughout the town.
Police began the month’s accident responses on Wednesday, Dec. 3, with a property-damage-only collision in Goldens Bridge. A driver reported rear-ending another vehicle stopped at a red light at the intersection of North Street and Route 138. No injuries were reported.
The following day, officers responded to a deer strike in Cross River. A motorist traveling eastbound on Route 35 struck a deer that ran into traffic. All occupants declined medical attention at the scene, but the vehicle was towed by Don’s Automotive of Brewster.
On Saturday, Dec. 6, police were called to a rollover accident on snow-covered Kitchawan Road in South Salem. A van traveling north began to slide, prompting the driver to steer toward an embankment on the right side of the road. The vehicle struck a sign, traveled up the embankment, hit a rock outcropping, and rolled over onto the roadway, trapping the driver inside.
The driver reported pain to his left shoulder, arm, and leg and was transported to Norwalk Hospital by the Vista Fire Department. East Towing righted the vehicle, and the Lewisboro Highway Department was notified to sand the roadway.
Another property-damage accident was reported Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Vista Park on Route 123 in South Salem. A school district employee reported that an SUV struck his parked vehicle while maneuvering into an adjacent parking space. At the request of the district’s transportation supervisor, police generated an incident report and closed the matter.
Fraud and Loss Reports
On Dec. 5, police responded to a potential fraud report from a South Salem resident who received a phone call from a woman claiming to represent AARP. The resident provided AARP and Medicare information, including current coverage. She later contacted AARP and learned the organization does not request such information by phone. Police advised her to freeze her bank and credit union accounts and credit cards as a precaution and to report any further issues.
A Katonah resident filed a lost-phone report on Dec. 8 after her husband inadvertently left his phone on top of their vehicle while driving. The phone fell onto Route 35 in Cross River, triggering a collision alert from the carrier. Using a “find my phone” app, the device was later traced to locations in Manhattan, Queens, and Mount Vernon. Mount Vernon police advised that they were unable to assist further due to the imprecise nature of phone location pings.
That same day, a South Salem resident reported check tampering. She had placed two checks in her mailbox for postal pickup, but later discovered through her bank that the payee had been altered to a Capital One account. The amounts were changed, nearly doubling the original total, and appeared to be typewritten along with the dates. Police contacted the State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, which instructed the complainant to file a report at its Somers barracks. She did so on Dec. 10.
Other Incidents
A dispute involving an unleashed dog was reported Monday, Dec. 29, at a Cross River condominium complex. The complainant said an unleashed dog approached him while he was walking his own dog, prompting him to use a flashlight to distract the animal. He alleged that the dog’s caretaker routinely allows dogs to roam unleashed, in violation of condominium rules.
The responding officer contacted the woman responsible for the dog, who stated it had been leashed on her front porch but broke free. She agreed to ensure the dog is properly restrained in the future.
Other Vehicular Matters
On Wednesday, Dec. 10, an officer stopped a dump truck traveling eastbound on Route 35 after observing the driver was not wearing a seat belt. A records check revealed the driver was operating with a suspended license and holding only a Class D permit. A Level 1 commercial vehicle inspection identified multiple violations. The driver was issued a court summons, and the truck was impounded by Reliable Towing.
Another traffic stop on Monday, Dec. 15, in South Salem resulted in a vehicle impoundment after an officer discovered the driver’s license and registration were expired. The driver received three summonses, and East Towing removed the vehicle.
On Thursday, Dec. 18, Lewisboro Police assisted Putnam County State Police in locating an SUV suspected of striking a patrol vehicle. Officers later found the SUV abandoned in the southbound lane of Route 121 in North Salem. A passerby told police he had given the driver a ride to the Goldens Bridge Dunkin’ Donuts.
Officers requested K-9 assistance and canvassed the Dunkin’ Donuts and nearby Acme supermarket but initially did not locate the suspect. Police later learned that another unit had found the driver at the Goldens Bridge train station, where he was turned over to state police without incident. During the canvass, officers apprehended a second individual matching the description of a passenger after he fled on foot.
Additional Accident Reports
Sunday, Dec. 14: A vehicle slid off the roadway in Waccabuc due to snowy conditions. Sal’s Towing used a winch to return the car to the roadway.
Monday, Dec. 15: A driver traveling south on Route 123 swerved to avoid a vehicle that stopped suddenly to make a left turn. The car left the roadway and struck a rock embankment at the end of a private driveway before coming to rest.
Wednesday, Dec. 17: A truck experienced transmission failure while exiting a driveway in South Salem, causing it to strike and damage three residential mailboxes. No injuries were reported.
Wednesday, Dec. 17: A driver reported being rear-ended while stopped on Route 35 eastbound in South Salem. She noted damage to the rear bumper and stated her daughter, seated in a high-back booster seat, was uninjured. Although the drivers initially agreed to handle the matter privately, she later opted to file an incident report.
Wednesday, Dec. 17: A northbound driver on Route 22 collided with a large truck exiting the Goldens Bridge Mercedes dealership. The truck fled the scene. Police later identified and interviewed the driver, who was issued a citation for leaving the scene of a property-damage accident.
Thursday, Dec. 18: A chain-reaction collision occurred on Route 121 in Cross River when a northbound vehicle struck the car ahead, pushing it into a third vehicle. No injuries were reported.
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