High-Speed Crash Knocks Out Power, Internet In N.J. Neighborhood
KEARNY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- An overnight crash in Hudson County shut down local roads and cut power to the neighborhood, yet somehow the driver was able to walk away.
Surveillance video from just after midnight Wednesday shows the incident on Belleville Turnpike and Argyle Place in Kearny. A car is seen speeding through the intersection and veering off the side of the road, taking down two utility poles, a fire hydrant and a street sign in the process. Sparks fly as a transformer topples to the ground and explodes.
"It was a tremendous impact," resident Lou Pagani told CBS2's Meg Baker.
Police say the driver was a 23-year-old woman from nearby Belleville. Kearny Fire Chief Steven Dyl described the domino effect of the high-speed crash, saying the woman's car had enough velocity that it continued mowing down street signs and a second utility pole before finally coming to a standstill after the engine was launched out of her car and found more than 50 feet away.
"The fire was extended to the building right behind us. It caught the awning and the overhang on fire, so it was a considerable amount of fire," Dyl said.
Belleville Turnpike will be closed overnight from Rutherford Place to Chestnut street.
Pagani owns a building across the street and got an alert at 3 a.m. that the power was out. He said he isn't surprised this happened, even though it's a residential area.
"That a speed road. During the day it's good. But during the night when there's not much traffic out there, yeah, they go pretty fast down there," Pagani said.
Chief Dyl reminded people to stay away from live high voltage wires.
"There were problems with people coming up to scene, walking under wires, you know, getting close. It's a really dangerous situation," Dyl said.
The driver suffered non-life threatening injuries. She was charged with reckless driving. The cause of the crash is being investigated.
Power was restored to most customers. Verizon said phone and internet was expected to take a bit longer.
