Woburn Man Wipes Out 4 Stoneham Utility Poles in Alleged OUI Crash

STONEHAM, MA - A Woburn man is accused of drunk driving that resulted in an early Sunday morning crash which destroyed four utility poles, a road closure, and power outages in Stoneham.

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

Police and firefighters responded at 12:43 a.m. to William Street in Stoneham following multiple 911 calls regarding a serious crash. They arrived to find three utility poles down, another heavily damaged and learning, and wires strewn across the road.

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Police found two men - one being Carney and the other another 22-year-old Woburn man - near a fence at the intersection of William Street and Alden Ave. Near them was a 2009 Acura MDX wedged between a damaged utility pole, a rock, and the fence. A wheel and tire had been separated from the vehicle, found several feet away from it.

At least one other vehicle was damaged.

Carney was identified as the drive and the other man was the passenger. Carney was slurring his speech and smelled strongly of alcohol, police say.

Both men declined medical treatment. No residents were injured.

“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,” Police Chief James McIntyre said. “The result was an incredibly destructive crash, but somehow no one was serious injured today. We are grateful for that.”

There are still power outages as crews work to replace the poles. The road is expected to be closed most of Sunday.

“The clean-up process is complex and multifaceted, with utility poles, wires, and damaged vehicles that must be dealt with,” First Chief Matthew Grafton said. “We will go through this process methodically to ensure the safety of all first responders and residents in the neighborhood, and we appreciate everyone’s patience as this work is ongoing. This is the most widespread amount of damage I have seen from a single vehicle crash in my career.”

Carney will be arraigned Monday in Woburn District Court.

Photos courtesy of John Guilfoil PR