A box truck driver was arrested on a DUI charge after crashing the vehicle into a guardrail and a utility pole in West Hartford on Tuesday, leaving part of the road shut down for hours.
The crash occurred in the area of 3114 Albany Ave. just after 9 a.m., according to Capt. Aaron Vafiades of the West Hartford Police Department.
Vafiades said a box truck was being driven east when the driver struck a guardrail on the right side of the road before going off the road and striking a utility pole. The vehicle came to rest on a snow-covered rocky ridge along the roadside, Vafiades said.
The driver, 25-year-old Koby Champagne-Lambert, suffered minor injuries, according to Vafiades. He was arrested on charges of operating under the influence and failure to drive in the proper lane. According to Vafiades, Champagne-Lambert’s blood alcohol content was allegedly found to be 0.12, above the legal limit.
The eastbound lanes of Avon Mountain were shut down for hours while crews cleaned up the scene.
Inspectors from the state Department of Motor Vehicles responded and found that the commercial vehicle that was involved, a 2020 Hino box truck, sustained disabling damage. The vehicle was towed from the scene using a wrecker.
According to Vafiades, Champagne-Lambert is free on a $5,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court on Feb.26.