An allegedly inebriated driver of a Chevy Silverado pick-up truck struck and injured a pedestrian at the intersection of Chapel and High Streets, where the traffic signal has been out.
The crash took place Tuesday at 2:37 p.m.
Here’s what happened, according to police spokesperson Capt. Anthony Duff:
A 66-year-old West Haven man was driving on Chapel toward Westville. He came to a temporary stop sign at the High Street intersection, the site of numerous crashes and pedestrian injuries over the years.
The driver didn’t stop. As he drove through the intersection. “the front passenger side of his vehicle struck” a 31-year-old Hamden woman who was crossing the street.
The driver remained at the scene. Police arrived to find the woman “bloodied” and “lying in the street.”
She was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where she was treated for non-life-threatening internal injuries and a head laceration. Her condition is listed as stable.
The driver failed a field sobriety test at the scene. He was taken to 1 Union Ave, then later released with a summons for the misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence and failing to stop for a stop sign. He is due in court on June 1.
The temporary stop sign was in place because the full traffic and pedestrian signal has been out for two weeks
“There is presently no power to the signal due to an underground fire in UI [United Illuminating] infrastructure,” city transit chief Doug Hausladen reported in an email message Wednesday to the Independent. “It’s been 2 weeks so far and we are not yet sure when to expect the power to be restored to the traffic signal by UI.
“Also, the pedestrian signals at the intersection are a part of a larger project (that includes other locations around the part of park/george/chapel/dwight area) will be turned on by the end of June after the ped signal project is completed.”
Dave Duda Photo
A second crash occurred a block away, at Chapel and York Streets, at 10:30 p.m., pictured above. Police Wednesday afternoon did not have any available public information on that crash.
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