NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A motorist who lost conscious while driving on Union Street Friday morning was revived and taken by ambulance to the hospital. 

 

Police said the woman smashed into a guardrail on Beaver Street and then continued west onto Union Street, where her late model silver Camry sedan hopped the curbing and scraped against about 20 feet of guardrail before coming to a stop. 

 

The accident occurred just east of the Eclipse Mill, after the curve on Union Street past Gallup, around 11 a.m. The front passenger side of the vehicle was heavily damaged. 

 

The woman was alone in the vehicle and it's unknown if a medical condition caused her to pass out. The accident is under investigation. 

 

Union Street was closed between Gallup and Miner streets for nearly an hour; the Fire Department and Clarksburg Police also responded. Mohawk Auto took the car away. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — State and local police are investigating a reported armed home invasion on Washington Avenue.

According to a safety alert sent out by Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts campus police, three men left the scene in a blue Volvo late Tuesday morning.

One was armed with a handgun.

North Adams Lt. Jason Wood said the reported invasion is believed to be an isolated incident and residents do not have to take extraordinary precautions other than being observant of their surroundings.

"It's still unfolding," he said. "That's the best we can do right now."

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A County Ambulance Chaircar Service van crashed through the corner of one house and into another on State Road early Friday afternoon after the driver fell unconscious.

 

"Apparently the driver had some type of medical episode and slumped over and the vehicle proceeded to drive right off the road," Police Director Michael Cozzagio said. "The driver was pulled out of the van, CPR was in progress and they are transporting him to the hospital, unknown on his condition."

 

There was one passenger in the van in a wheelchair who was being taken to a medical appointment. The passenger had been strapped in securely but was shaken up, Cozzaglio said, and also was taken to the hospital as a precaution. 

 

"He appeared to be OK but he was shaken up having just had a conversation with the driver, he witnessed the event," he said. "The driver suddenly slumped over and the accident occurred."

 

There were occupants in the two houses but no one else was injured. 

 

The Ford van was heading east at about 12:35 p.m. when it appears to have jumped the curb near Grant Street; tire tracks could be seen in the grass as it crossed several lawns and plowed into the east corner of 284 State Road, then through a simple fence and came to rest on the corner of 282 State Road. 

 

Both single-family homes incurred damage, but 284 State suffered the worst. The east column of an enclosed porched was ripped out and the entire enclosure, including the front door, pulled away from the main building. 

 

Building Inspector William Meranti inspected the building and found no further damage to the main structure. Fire Director Stephen Meranti said the power had been turned off but an electrician was hand to restore it so the homeowners could stay. 

 

The house at 282 State appeared to have minimal damage to the west corner of an enclosed porch although several concrete blocks in the foundation were pushed in. 

 

The State Road accident came on the heels of two other more minor accidents, one at River and Canal and another on Church Street, all within 20 minutes or so. 

 

The crash occurred about 11:20 p.m. and came over the scanner as a motor vehicle versus jersey barriers. Then dispatch called for more ambulances. 

 

A 2007 gray Nissan Murano with South Carolina plates was headed north on Beaver when it apparently scraped along the side of the concrete jersey barriers still up from the embankment collapse three years ago. 

 

The Murano's driver apparently tried to correct and veered into the south lane and directly into the path of a southbound dark gray Ford Windstar. The driver of the Murano and the driver and occupant of the minivan were all taken by ambulance; two went Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield and a third to Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington.

 

A nearby resident who heard the collission from his home was first on the scene and said he turned off one of the cars and helped the driver of the Murano out. 

 

Both vehicles sustained significant front-end damage and the airbags appear to have gone off in both. 

 

Sgt. James Burdick said charges are pending against the driver of the Murano. 

 

North Adams and state police, the Fire Department and North Adams Ambulance responded. Dean's Quality Auto and Cariddi Auto towed the vehicles from the scene. The road was reopened after about an hour. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A North Adams man accused of stabbing a 50-year-old Domino's delivery driver and trying to rob him of money was arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Berkshire Superior Court.

 

Travis T. Perras, 25, of Union Street had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf for single counts of armed assault with intent to murder, armed assault with intent to rob, and assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon.

 

Judge Daniel Ford ordered that he continue to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $100,000 cash or surety bail.

 

It is alleged that Perras stabbed Charles Sauer on July 14 at about at about 11:30 p.m. near Perras' Union Street home. Officers arriving on the scene found Sauer in his vehicle with multiple stab wounds to his chest and abdomen. He was able to identify his assailant and was taken to Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield. Perras was located in a residence not far from the crime scene and taken into custody a short time later. 

 

The investigation was conducted by members of North Adams Police Department, Massachusetts State Police - Troopers, Detectives and Crime Scene Division and Adams Police K9.