NEW HARTFORD, NY — A 73-year-old man was arrested on driving while intoxicated charges after police found his SUV facing the wrong direction and crashed into a sign along State Route 840.
A New Hartford police officer on patrol discovered the vehicle facing westbound in the eastbound lane at approximately 12 a.m. Friday.
Police identified the operator as George Whitton, of Clinton.
Whitton was administered field sobriety tests and subsequently arrested for driving while intoxicated.
He was charged with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated, misdemeanor driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol content of .08% or higher, aggravated driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol content of .18% or higher, moving from a lane unsafely and failure to keep right.
The collision caused a brief closure of one lane of traffic during the investigation.
Whitton was processed at the New Hartford Police Department and released on uniform traffic tickets.
He is scheduled to appear in New Hartford Town Court in December.
