Croton Falls woman charged with DWI in North Salem after crash that sparked brush fires, power outage

A 22-year-old Croton Falls woman is facing DWI charges after crashing a vehicle into a telephone pole in Croton Falls early Saturday morning. The crash resulted in brush fires and a power outage in the area.

Image courtesy of Croton Falls Fire Department

About 3:33 a.m., the Croton Falls Fire Department responded to a report of a transformer explosion on Route 22 near the Croton Falls Station on Sun Valley Drive. Moments later, units were re-dispatched to the same location for a motor vehicle accident with injuries and a car fire.

Upon arrival, Croton Falls firefighters determined that the vehicle had struck a telephone pole, causing the pole and wires to come down in the roadway. The burning wires sparked a brush fire at the scene of the accident, as well as an additional brush fire on the Somers-Croton Falls border. Firefighters quickly worked to put out the fires and prevent further spreading to the surrounding area.

Image courtesy of Croton Falls Fire Department

New York State Police also responded to the scene. Troopers charged Amberlynn Leonard, 22, of Croton Falls with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated. Leonard was released on an appearance ticket, according to a State Police report. 

Local residents were without power for a few hours Saturday morning while crews worked to restore the line.