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Car Crashes Into 4 Utility Poles In Stoneham, Causing Closures, Outages

STONEHAM (CBS) -- Police arrested a Woburn man they said drunkenly drove into several utility poles, causing power outages and a road closure early Sunday morning.

Ryan Carney, 22, was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

Stoneham Police said Carney crashed into four utility poles and at least one other car on William Street around 12:43 a.m., leaving wires strewn across the road.

stoneham oui crash poles down
Utility poles lay across William Street after Stoneham Police say a drunk driver plowed into them. (Stoneham Police)

"This is a very serious incident in which, once again, a person has too much to drink and gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle," Stoneham Police Chief James McIntyre said. "The result was an incredibly destructive crash, but somehow no one was seriously injured today. We are grateful for that."

stoneham oui crash poles down
A closeup of the damage to one of the poles. (Stoneham Police)

A wheel and tire had come off of Carney's 2009 Acura MDX, and the car was wedged between a pole, a fence, and a rock.

Stoneham's fire chief said this is the most damage he's ever seen from a single vehicle crash.

Utility crews were kept busy long after dark, trying to repair the damage done, getting electric service back to homes.

Police said Carney slurred his speech and smelled of alcohol. He and a 22-year-old passenger declined medical attention.

Carney is expected to face arraignment Monday in Woburn District Court.

"My wife and I were sleeping and we heard a series of loud crashing noises," a resident said.

People living on William Street woke up to a mess, with utility poles down all over the place and electric wires dangerously dangling on the street.

One of those poles came crashing down right on Chris Aronson's SUV, which was parked in his driveway, badly damaging the vehicle.

"We thought a car hit my car because it was so loud. I think it was like two or three loud noises it must have been the various poles coming down. And then there was a bunch of flashing lights, a bunch of flashing blue lights, which I guess were the wires coming down and making contact," Aronson told WBZ.

A number of people were without power for several hours and as of early Sunday evening, some of them still had no electricity, including Somany Prins, who was frightened by the crash.

"One like explosion and I saw the light...flashing light. Then I went to my window. Then I heard another boom. I was scared. Who wouldn't be scared in the middle of the night," Prins said.

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