Damaged garage near Orvis Road.
UPDATED, May 4: Runaway vehicles are putting East Arlington in the line of fire.
Over five days, three cars have hit — or just missed — homes or businesses in that end of town. The circumstances differ, police reports show, so these incidents are not “copy cats.” They are coincidental.
In one, a garage was seriously damaged. In another, a vehicle veered off the road, went up a sidewalk handicap ramp and onto a corner-house lawn, barely missing the home. In the third, a car hit three mailboxes in front of the East Arlington Post Office and then a vacant store next door.
Citations were issued in all cases.
The latest of the three occurred Monday, May 1, at 8:21 a.m., when a driver told police she was trying to turn around in the driveway of 74 Orvis Road, off Newcomb. She said she believed she had put the car in reverse when she stepped on the accelerator and crashed into the garage. She then reversed about five feet from the garage before hitting it.
Do-not-enter sign
Sharon Borges Colleran wrote on the Arlington List Facebook site May 2: “This it what happens when you go down a street that has a sign do not enter between 7-9am. Some lady tried to back out of my mother’s driveway and instead of putting the car in reverse, put it in drive. End result the garage is condemned!!”
A police report said the driver was not injured and that her car had crashed through the garage door, causing the door to fall on two parked vehicles. The damaged garage was leaning toward the house. Cracks in the walls of the garage were visible from three sides, the report said.
Michael Byrne, town director of inspections, advised the home owner about securing and repairing the structure. Contractor Thomas Caccavaro said he would secure it.
Because the driver failed to use care in starting and stopping her vehicle, police said, she was issued a citation for violating a town bylaw, Article 7, Section 6.
Mary/Burch case
The second case took place at 3:07 p.m. Friday, April 28, at Mary and Burch streets.
Car on lawn at Mary Street address. / William Logan photo
William J. Logan, a Precinct 2 Town Meeting member and a neighbor, took photos. He told YourArlington that a witness said that a car on Burch ran the stop sign and hit another vehicle on Mary.
The Burch Street vehicle then veered off the road, up a sidewalk handicap ramp and onto a lawn, just missing the house. The driver of the Burch Street car was taken to the hospital and the child was uninjured. The other vehicle occupants reportedly had some minor cuts and bruises.
Logan said he has asked the town to put up a four-way stop.
A police report confirmed Logan’s account. The report added that police issued a citation to the driver who was treated for a stop-sign violation and operating an unregistered vehicle.
Finochetti’s town both vehicles to Arlington Auto Body.
Mass. Ave. at Post Office
The third incident occurred early Wednesday, April 26, when a Toyota Camry left Mass. Ave. and hit mailboxes near the Post Office, next to the closed Sabatino’s.
The driver told police he was headed home from an overnight shift at a nearby hospital when the crash occurred and he had no memory of the event.
A police report said the car jumped the curb, hit a tree and the mailboxes, ramming the left corner of the vacant store 238 Mass. Ave.
Police said the driver fell asleep or suffered an unknown of medical incident.
Police cited the operator for negligent operation of a motor vehicle and requested the Registry of Motor Vehicles to determine whether the operator is suitable to drive.
This news summary was published Wednesday, May 3, 2017, and updated May 4, to add a name. Reports of less-serious car accidents from Arlington police have names of those involved redacted. The editor thanks a sharp-eyed reader for suggesting this story.
