SOUTH SALEM, N.Y. - Motor vehicle incidents dominated police activity during October, beginning with a special detail targeting commercial vehicles Oct. 1 in South Salem. Among the five commercial vehicles inspected, police noted 28 violations. Officers issued 10 tickets to the operators, and four vehicles were taken out of service.
Lewisboro police made two arrests for driving while intoxicated during October. The first occurred in Cross River on Sunday, Oct. 18, when an officer conducting a traffic stop reported that he was nearly sideswiped by a fast-moving pickup truck. After pursuing and stopping the vehicle, the officer noted that the driver had bloodshot, watery eyes, slurred speech and an odor of alcohol on his breath. The driver also said he had not noticed the stopped police vehicle or its flashing emergency lights.
The driver said he had “not much” to drink, and the officer summoned a colleague to assist him. With the driver's consent, they administered a standardized field sobriety test. However, the driver refused a breath test and was placed under arrest and taken to the State Police barracks in Somers.
On Friday night, Oct. 24, a vehicle crashed into a utility pole along Route 35 in Cross River. The South Salem Fire Department was on the scene, and the vehicle's occupants were outside an adjacent house. The driver was observed sitting in a chair, bleeding from a possible broken nose. While administering medical aid, the officer noted the driver's bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.
A second officer arrived at the scene and followed the ambulance transporting the driver to Westchester Medical Center. East Towing impounded the vehicle. At the hospital, the driver refused a blood test and received three tickets.
In South Salem on Thursday, Oct. 8, a motorist drove away from a gas station while a hose was still attached to his vehicle, causing the hose to separate from the pump. Surveillance video from the station recorded the incident, including the driver's return to inspect the damage. An officer was assigned to contact the motorist. Although no criminal activity appeared to be involved, Lewisboro police wanted complete information for their report.
Numerous vehicles were impounded during October. On Thursday, Oct. 1, an officer conducting stationary surveillance in Cross River spotted a westbound vehicle with darkly tinted front windows. The officer pursued the vehicle, pulled it over at the Meadows complex and requested the driver's license. An eJustice check revealed that the license was suspended. Sal's Towing removed and impounded the vehicle, and the driver received four tickets and a summons to appear in court.
Another impoundment took place Oct. 3. An officer traveling north on Route 123 near East Street in South Salem spotted a southbound van without a front license plate. The officer pulled the vehicle over at the Connecticut state line and asked the driver for his license. The driver produced a Brazilian ID card and said he did not have a license. An eJustice check confirmed this and revealed that the vehicle's plate was registered to a different car. Sal's Towing impounded the vehicle, and the driver received multiple tickets.
On Tuesday, Oct. 6, an officer spotted a driver with a previous license suspension traveling north on Route 123 in South Salem. The vehicle had a loud exhaust system and darkly tinted windows. After the car was stopped, the driver produced a photo of a Connecticut driver's license, which an eJustice check confirmed was suspended.
The driver received multiple tickets, while the vehicle's owner received one for allowing his vehicle to be operated by someone with a suspended license. The driver also had a history that included probation for a hit-and-run incident in Connecticut. Accordingly, the officer notified his probation officer at a Connecticut police department.
More impoundments
Monday, Oct. 5: An officer driving east on Route 35 near Route 123 in Cross River ran an eJustice check on a pickup truck. The plate number came back as unregistered. The officer pursued and stopped the vehicle and requested the driver's license. The driver produced a Guatemalan passport and said he was unlicensed. Sal's Towing impounded the vehicle. The driver received one ticket, while the vehicle's owner received three.
Saturday, Oct. 10: An officer on Route 35 in Cross River spotted an eastbound van with a broken windshield. The officer pursued and stopped the vehicle, then asked for the driver's license. The driver produced a U.S. passport and said he had no license, which an eJustice inquiry confirmed. The check also revealed that the vehicle's plate was registered to a different vehicle. Sal's Towing impounded the van, and the driver received multiple tickets.
Tuesday, Oct. 13: An officer traveling south on Route 123 in South Salem spotted another southbound vehicle with darkly tinted windows. The officer pursued and stopped the vehicle and asked the driver for his license. The driver produced a passport from the Dominican Republic and said he did not have a license. An eJustice check confirmed this and found no vehicle registration information. In addition, the officer used a laser device to determine that the window tint exceeded the legal limit. Sal's Towing removed the vehicle, and the driver received multiple tickets.
Sunday, Oct. 18: An officer parked along Route 35 in Cross River conducted an eJustice check on a passing vehicle, which revealed that its registration was suspended. After pulling the driver over, the officer confirmed the information. The driver received a ticket with a court appearance date.
Tuesday, Oct. 20: An officer spotted a vehicle parked at the Goldens Bridge train station without a front plate and with an expired inspection sticker. An eJustice check revealed that the vehicle's registration was also suspended because of expired insurance. The officer placed multiple tickets on the vehicle and removed the rear plate.
Saturday, Oct. 23: An officer conducting stationary surveillance along Route 123 in South Salem ran a check on a vehicle and discovered that its registration was suspended and it had no insurance in effect. After stopping the vehicle, the officer issued two tickets to the driver. Northern Westchester Auto impounded the vehicle.
Monday, Oct. 26: An officer conducting stationary surveillance on Oakridge Drive in South Salem observed a driver holding a cellphone while traveling north on nearby Route 123. The car was missing its rear license plate, which the driver said had fallen off. An online check also revealed that the driver's license was suspended. The driver received three tickets, and Sal's Towing impounded the vehicle.
Thursday, Oct. 29: An officer patrolling Route 123 conducted an eJustice check on a car and found that its color did not match the registration record. After the vehicle was stopped, the driver produced a Brazilian passport instead of a license. A check of the vehicle identification number revealed a mismatch, and the driver said the license plate belonged to a friend's vehicle. The driver received multiple tickets, and East Towing impounded the car.
Friday, Oct. 30: An officer stopped a car without license plates on Route 35 in Cross River. The driver produced a Connecticut ID card. An eJustice check revealed that the vehicle had no registration or insurance. The driver received two tickets, and East Towing impounded the vehicle.
Accidents
Friday, Oct. 2: A vehicle traveling east on Ridgefield Avenue in South Salem collided with a riding mower that was being loaded onto a trailer. The owner of the landscaping company said the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed. The driver said he had fallen asleep at the wheel.
Saturday, Oct. 3: A vehicle traveling east on West Lane in South Salem collided with a westbound vehicle. Each driver said the other had crossed into the opposite lane. The crash caused damage to the entire driver's side of the first vehicle and the front right corner of the second. Neither driver was injured.
Monday, Oct. 5: Three cars were traveling east on Route 35 in Cross River. The first attempted to turn left onto Debbie Lane, stopping for westbound traffic. The second vehicle also stopped, causing the third vehicle to strike it from behind. The first vehicle was not involved in the collision, which caused major damage to the front of the third vehicle and minor damage to the rear of the second. Neither driver was injured.
Wednesday, Oct. 7: A driver traveling east on Route 35 in Cross River struck a vehicle in front of her. She reported that she had been texting on her cellphone. Although she did not appear to be injured and reported no pain, she was taken to Northern Westchester Hospital for evaluation. The driver and a passenger in the second vehicle declined medical attention.
Wednesday, Oct. 7: A vehicle traveling south on Route 121 in Cross River stopped suddenly, causing a second vehicle to rear-end it.
Tuesday, Oct. 13: A driver was traveling east on Route 35 in Cross River when a westbound vehicle attempted to turn left at the intersection with Route 123. The second vehicle struck the front of the first. Both vehicles had to be towed. The first driver was taken by the Lewisboro Volunteer Ambulance Corps to Northern Westchester Hospital with neck, head and back pain. The second driver was taken by the ambulance corps to Danbury Hospital with knee, head and neck pain.
Saturday, Oct. 24: A driver stopped at a traffic light on Cherry Street at Route 35 in Goldens Bridge was struck by another driver, who fled the scene. The vehicle sustained minor damage to its rear bumper.
Tuesday, Oct. 27: A driver left the roadway on southbound Route 123 in South Salem and struck a sign, another vehicle, a fence, a mailbox and a walkway. The driver was taken to a Connecticut hospital complaining of neck pain.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here