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Police: Alcohol may have been a factor in Albany Street accident
Story Created:
May 24, 2010 at 12:00 PM EDT
Story Updated:
May 24, 2010 at 6:26 PM EDT
UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - Utica Police now say that alcohol may have been a factor in the weekend accident on Albany Street that sent two teens to the hospital, the driver in critical condition.
Numerous well-wishes fill the Facebook wall of Christopher Swider, 17, of Utica, who police said was behind the wheel of the car Saturday night. The car Swider was driving crashed into a tree along Albany Street in Utica around 10:30 p.m. that night at the intersection of South Park Drive.
Stephanie Hawkins, 17, of Holland Patent, was the front passenger in the car Saturday night. She now remains in critical condition as well, after she and Swider suffered serious head injuries during the crash.
Police said there were three other teenagers in the back seat of the car at the time of the crash - two from Rome who suffered some serious, but non-life threatening injuries, and one other teen from Holland Patent, who was not injured.
Monday morning, Utica Police Chief Mark Williams said speed was definitely a factor in the crash, but now say alcohol may have also played a role.
"Piecing the information of our DWI Officer that was at the scene together, it is his opinion that alcohol was a factor," Chief Williams said.
Chief Williams added that blood was drawn from the driver for use in toxicology tests to confirm.
"Based upon the observations of the officers and talking to several witnesses that were at the scene, they indicated the car may have been going in the area of 80 to 90 miles an hour, prior to the car striking the tree," Williams said. "So, again, you have got to keep in mind that these are civilians giving that type of speed estimate. So, maybe it's not accurate."
Chief Williams also said one of the teens in the car told police they were at the Tropical Delight bar on Bleecker Street in Utica before the crash.
Police say they have not been able to confirm this.
Alonso Morales, a spokesperson for the owner of the Tropical Delight Bar, Jose Paulino, says the teens were definitely not at the bar that night.
Earlier this month, Paulino actually met with police and city officials after there were complaints of underage drinking going on there. The owner signed a letter with the City of Utica stating that order would be maintained at the club, and that he would no longer allow anyone under the age of 21 into his club.
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