Washingtonville driver charged with hitting fire truck while drunk

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The Times Herald Record

Published: 11:56 AM - 11/18/13
Last updated: 11:57 AM - 11/18/13

WASHINGTONVILLE — A Washingtonville man was arrested Saturday evening after, police said, he crashed into a fire truck while driving drunk. Village police said the fire truck was responding to a brush fire on Lincolndale Acres in New Windsor, with emergency lights and sirens on. John Cavalari Sr., 68, pulled his vehicle to the right side to let the fire truck pass, then turned left into the fire truck's path and hit its side.

There were five firefighters on the truck. Nobody was hurt. Cavalari's vehicle was heavily damaged; the fire truck sustained minor damage. Police said Cavalari's blood-alcohol content was .12. He was charged with felony drunken driving due to three prior convictions for alcohol-related offenses, and also issued three traffic tickets. He was released on $500 bail to appear in village court at a later date.

Nathan Brown