NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Two accidents that caused injuries occurred within about an hour of each other late Monday afternoon. 

 

Shortly after 4 p.m., a driver heading west on River Street in a gray Hyundai sedan collided near the carwash with an eastbound Toyota sport-utility vehicle out of New York. According to preliminary reports, the Hyundai's driver was trying to turn off the car's hazard lights and took her eyes off the road and collided with SUV.

 

One person was being taken by Northern Berkshire EMS to the satellite emergency facility. 

 

The Toyota's front driver's tire assembly was ripped off the vehicle and it sustained significant front-end damage. The Hyundai incurred damage to the front driver's side and door. The vehicles were taken away by Dean's and Cariddi's towing companies. The roadway was closed between the intersection with Houghton Street to Brown Street for almost an hour while the vehicles were removed and vehicle parts cleaned up. 

 

While police and firefighters were dealing with that scene, a pedestrian was struck by a car near the intersection of Holden and Center streets at about 4:40. The woman was walking across Veterans Memorial Way when a eastbound car turned right toward Holden and struck her.

 

She was taken from the scene by ambulance to the satellite emergency facility, where she was treated and released. The accident is under investigation.

 

The roadway was partially closed and traffic eastbound over the Veterans Memorial Bridge slowed and directed around the accident by police. Center Street on the west side of Holden was closed.  

 

Also, earlier in the afternoon, another accident occurred in Adams when an extend-cab pickup struck and broke a utility pole head-on on Columbia Street, forcing the road to be closed while the truck was removed and a new pole installed by National Grid. 

 

No further information on these accidents was immediately available. 

 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — An elderly Vermont woman missed the turn coming out of TD Bank on Main Street and ended up on the wrong side of the road Monday afternoon. 

 

Traffic was diverted around the scene across from the Mohawk Theater for a half-hour or so until the car was taken away. No one was injured but the driver appeared a little shaken. 

 

The woman apparently drove her late model Hyundai Elantra sedan across the eastbound lanes of Main Street and over the median and headed the wrong way in the southernmost lane at about 1:30 p.m. 

 

The small car went under one of the chains strung along the median to deter pedestrian and motor vehicle crossings. One of the posts connected to the chain was tilted and car's roof was scratched up. The car also went up on the median curbing as it traveled east in the westbound lane. Both tires on the driver's side popped as did the front tire on the passenger side. 

 

Police, firefighters and Northern Berkshire EMS responded to the scene and the driver was helped away from the car until a family member could be contacted. Mohawk Auto Wrecking removed the vehicle. Police are looking into the accident. 

 

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Traffic was snarled for about a half-hour Wednesday afternoon by a one-car accident on Simonds Road that saw one person taken away by ambulance.

 

A little after noon, a car southbound on U.S. Route 7 lost control, striking and severing a utility pole on the west side of the road, according to Williamstown Police.

 

The car, which sustained severe front-end damage, ended up across the road and perpendicular to the flow of traffic.

 

Police confirmed that there were two occupants of the vehicle, including the driver. One occupant, whose name was not available, was transported from the scene by Northern Berkshire EMS. The individual appeared to be conscious and alert.

 

Ron's Auto Repair of Main Street removed the vehicle from the scene, and with National Grid personnel on scene, police were able to restore traffic in a single lane by just before 1 p.m.

 

At about 2:15, National Grid killed power to the neighborhood while it conducted repairs to the line. Power was restored about at about 4:45.

 

The utility pole involved was replaced in the spring after an accident that damaged the previous pole at the spot.

 

Police said Wednesday's accident is under investigation.

 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A series of four police operations have led to some 32 arrests over the last three weeks.

 

The operations consisted of highly visible patrols in areas identified as higher crime areas in the Morningside and Westside neighborhoods. Police say the series of operations were done both in response to recent violent crimes in the city and the anticipation of dangerous driving behavior during the holidays.

 

The first three operations were performed by the city's Police Department with help from the Berkshire County sheriff's office and the state police. The final operation was on Friday and involved the Police Department, the sheriff's office, state police, District Court Probation Office, and the state's Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission. 

 

Police conducted strong traffic enforcement while at the same time serving a number of arrest warrants. Probation checks, efforts to seek out 10 individuals in violation of sex-offender registration status, efforts to verify addresses of other sex offenders, and inspections of licensed establishments with a recent record of capacity or over-serving complaints were all conducted at the same time.

 

Authorities say Saturday's "One Team One Mission" led to 14 arrests, including two for operating under the influence of alcohol and one out-of-state sex offender registration violation. Police say 340 grams of cocaine estimated to be worth $34,000 and numerous illegal pills were seized. In total there were 171 citations issued for moving violations.

 

Combined, all four operations led to 32 arrests, six criminal summonses, 428 traffic stops, 14 criminal motor vehicle summonses, 253 motor vehicle citations, and 145 verbal warnings issued. The previous three operations were performed on Friday, Nov. 16; Tuesday, Nov. 20; and Wednesday, Nov. 28.

 

Police say it is the largest operation conducted in the city since 2016.

 

The department said the traffic enforcement operations are based on the principles of "Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety." The local crime analysts looked at calls for services and crime data from throughout 2018 to identify locations and time for deployment of the operations. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Firefighters snuffed out a small kitchen first in an Appleton Avenue apartment. 

 

Deputy Chief Daniel Garner said at about 10:37 a.m. Monday morning firefighters responded to 65 Appleton Avenue for a fire alarm activation. Firefighters found light smoke showing from the rear of a second-floor window.

 

The Engine 6 crew forced entry into the unoccupied unit and found a small kitchen fire extending into the cabinets. The fire was extinguished and Truck 2 provided ventilation to the unit. 

 

The damage is estimated to be minor and there were no injuries. The occupants will not be displaced.