By GAIL LOWE
WAKEFIELD — A 34-year-old woman from Saugus suffered minor injuries yesterday after striking a Verizon telephone pole on Water Street near Melvin Street while driving a 2000 Jeep, said police. On impact, the bottom portion of the pole was sliced off and the vehicle sustained heavy front end and under carriage damage.
The woman was taken to Melrose-Wakefield Hospital for treatment and was cited for crossing the center line on Water Street.
During questioning, she told Patrol Officer Meaghan Leary that while flicking ashes from her cigarette, ashes flew into her face and when she brushed them from her eyes, she lost control of the vehicle and slammed into the pole.
The same woman was cited following another accident last Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 25, while driving on Montrose Avenue in a Chevrolet pick-up truck. She told police officers that she dropped her drink, causing her to drive off the road. She was cited for negligent driving.
On learning about the first accident, Officer Leary requested that the Registry of Motor Vehicles revoke the woman’s license until it can be determined whether a medical issue may have caused one or both accidents.
Traffic in the area of Shaw’s Supermarket was shut down and had to be rerouted for about an hour following the accident, from about 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Responding to the scene were crews from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department, Fire Department and Action Ambulance.
