Man Charged with DWI After Utility Pole Strike

An 84-year-old man from Hillsdale is facing DWI charges for allegedly tossing a few back before he lost control of his vehicle on Van Emburgh Avenue and slammed into a utility pole.

According to Ridgewood police, Victor Frazita was traveling north on Van Emburgh Avenue on Sunday, Sept. 23 when he lost control of his vehicle near Orville Place and hit the utility pole.

The force of the impact split the pole and damaged another pole tethered to it.

Authorities say Frazita was extricated from the heavily damaged vehicle and upon completing the investigation, was charged by police with DWI and failure to maintain lane.

He was taken to Valley Hospital that night with what were called non-life-threatening injuries.

Ridgewood police claim Frazita was the second person that day to have driven drunk into a telephone pole.

Hours earlier, , fled the scene and then struck another pole.

The man, identified by police as Victor-Melt Campos, 37, was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Paterson with serious head trauma injuries.

Frazita has an upcoming date at Ridgewood Municipal Court.

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