BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A 58-year old woman from Scituate is facing charges after she allegedly drove under the influence and crashed into an MBTA railroad crossing Saturday night, causing the entire structure to fall.
Local police and fire departments responded to reports of the crash near Cohasset Station on North Main Street at around 10 p.m. Saturday.
First responders found a woman who had allegedly been driving under the influence of alcohol, and had crashed her SUV into the rail crossing gates, signals, and lights. Cohasset police said the entire structure had fallen and was blocking both lanes on North Main Street, creating a "debris field," which held up both vehicle and rail traffic in the area.
The street was closed for approximately four hours while crews cleared the scene. A heavy-duty wrecker was brought in due to the weight and size of the crossing superstructure.
"An on-scene investigation determined that the driver was under the influence of alcohol," police said. "She was arrested at the scene. She was evaluated by paramedics at the scene but refused medical treatment at that time. She was later transported to an area hospital for evaluation for injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening."
Authorities said MBTA crews will be brought in to rebuild the structure and replace the crossing warning equipment, which will take several days. Trains will be using their whistles/horns in the area until the crossing is repaired, and will be walking the trains through the crossing. The Greenbush Line is a "No Whistle Zone" and trains do not use their whistles/horns under normal conditions.
The suspect, whose name has not been released, is scheduled to be arraigned on charges of Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol, Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle, and Marked Lanes Violation at Quincy District Court on Monday, October 5th.
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(Photo: CohassetPolice.com)