CHEEKTOWAGA – A two-car crash on French Road zapped power to over 1,000 people in the area of French and Border Roads Friday afternoon.
The crash occurred at the intersection of French Road and Haley Lane just after 4 pm.
Cheektowaga Police at the scene said preliminarily it appears that one car was turning left onto French Road from Haley Lane when an eastbound car on French slammed into it. The eastbound vehicle then hit a utility pole.
The force of the crash tripped breakers on the pole which took out power to around 1,099 NYSEG customers.
Two people in total were involved in the accident and were initially treated at the scene by South Line firefighters. One person was transported to Sisters of Charity Hospital St. Joseph Campus. The other was transported to Erie County Medical Center. The injuries did appear to be life-threatening.
During the police department’s investigation of the crash, they uncovered an open bottle of Southern Comfort in the vehicle that was traveling eastbound on French Road.
Cheektowaga Chronicle was told at the scene that it was too early to know if alcohol played a role in the crash, but at the very least the driver could be facing an open container violation for the open bottle of SoCo.