Pearl River Woman Accused Of DWI After Two-Car Crash In Bardonia

A Pearl River woman who was seen driving a heavily damaged car on Route 304 in Bardonia has been charged with drunken driving and leaving the scene of a two-car accident, according to Clarkstown police.

Diane Westervelt, 58, was stopped about 11:15 p.m. Saturday by a Clarkstown police officer who saw smoke pouring out from the engine compartment of the car she was driving. Police said the car has sustained substantial front-end damage and Westervelt told a town officer that she had struck an animal.

At about the same time, another Clarkstown officer was investigating a hit-and-run accident at nearby at Germonds Road and Route 304 in Bardonia. Police said the investigation determine that Westervelt was involved in that traffic accident.

No one was injured in the crash.

Police said that Westervelt took a field sobriety test and failed. She was arrested and taken to Clarkstown police headquarters in New City, where she refused to take a chemical breath test for alcohol. Westervelt was arraigned by Judge Howard Gerber and released pending a Dec. 16 hearing on charges of driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor, and leaving the scene of a property damage accident, a traffic infraction.