Around 11:45 a.m. today a middle-aged Fairfield woman claims her car accelerated on its own as she rounded Park Street onto Main Street in downtown Branford causing her to lose control of the vehicle, ride up on the sidewalk and strike a light pole. said the woman’s license was suspended. She was issued a ticket for failure to stay in proper lane and is scheduled to appear in New Haven Court later this month. No one was injured during the incident.
’s Deputy Chief Tom Mahoney said firefighters responded to the scene on the report of the car accident, possible leakage of gasoline from the vehicle and the threat of an explosion due to exposed electrical wires from the damaged light pole. Firefighters were able to quickly determine that there was no gasoline leaking from the car and there was no threat of an explosion.
’ Highway Supervisor Jack Kerpen said power was killed to all street lights from Main and Park to Harrison and Main. At this time, power has not been restored to the street lights. No power has been shut off to the area businesses. The light pole, estimated Kerpen, will cost more than $3,000 to replace with additional costs for rewiring the fixture.
According to the Branford Police, the statement from the driver indicated that her champagne-colored Lexus accelerated on its own after she rounded Park Street onto Main. Her car was hung up on the light pole, which lay across the sidewalk and punctured the façade of restaurant. The light pole appears to have stopped the vehicle from causing any more damage to the building.
Mahoney said the woman refused transport to the hospital by Branford paramedics and appeared to be shaken-up but uninjured. She declined to comment at the scene.
of Branford cleaned the wreck scene and took the vehicle away with a flatbed.
