WESTFIELD – An alleged drunk driver caused a four-vehicle accident Saturday night that sent three people, including an toddler, to the hospital.
Michelle Grasso, one of the drivers, phoned Westfield police shortly before 9 p.m. Saturday night to report an accident near Bertera Dodge, located at 167 Springfield Road.
When police officers arrived at the scene, they found Matthew W. Long of West Springfield standing beside his vehicle without a shirt on, according to court records.
Westfield Police Capt. Hipolito Nunez said it was a chain-reaction accident caused by a drunk driver, allegedly Long.
Long, 41, rear-ended a 1998 Jeep Cherokee driven by Barbara Sadler, and then a 2013 Nissan Rogue driven by Grasso hit Long’s 2009 Honda Civic, and a 2010 Mazda driven by Kristin Kelley rear-ended Grasso’s vehicle.
EMTs determined Long did not sustain any injuries due to the collision, so police proceeded to give Long a field sobriety test after observing that his eyes were glossy, red and bloodshot plus, “I was able to smell a strong odor of alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath,” according to Westfield Police Officer Timothy Fanion’s statement of facts.
Long failed the field sobriety test, requested a lawyer and was arrested on charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor and possessing an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle–“a freshly emptied can of beer in the front seat area of the vehicle,” according to Fanion.
Police also charged Long with following too close and negligent operation of a motor vehicle, according to police records.
When Long was arraigned in Westfield District Court on Monday, he was also charged with state highway signal/sign/markings violation, which pertained to the defendant failing to react in time to the red traffic signal, according to court records.
Sadler was transported to Baystate Medical Center and Kelley and a 3-year-old passenger were transported to Baystate Noble Hospital, Nunez said.
Grasso called police Sunday morning to report that she had sought medical treatment at an urgent care center that morning for injuries received in the accident.
Three vehicles were towed from the scene, including Long’s Honda along with the Jeep Cherokee and Nissan Rogue.
Long was released on his personal recognizance after Monday’s arraignment pending an August 24 hearing.
Staff Writer Christine Charnosky can be reached at [email protected]
