SWANSEA, Mass. -- An Attleboro, Mass., man was arrested early Saturday after he crashed his car into a utility pole and allegedly fled the scene, police said.
Sgt. Marc Haslam reported that Samuel St. Angelo, 23, of South Avenue, Attleboro, was arrested at 5:15 a.m. while walking near the Swansea Mall about 2 1/2 hours after he slammed into the pole leaving two passengers in his car with injuries that required medical attention.
St. Angelo was charged with leaving the scene of an accident after causing personal injury, operating to endanger, operating with a revoked registration and failing to stay within marked lanes, police said.
Two police officers responded to the crash at 2:50 a.m. after several residents called the 911 emergency number about a serious accident on Locust Street near Plain Street. The police said that the car struck a pole in front of the water tower and sheared the pole at its base.
The police said one passenger, Travis Calpin, 23, of Attleboro, tried to flee on foot, but was unable to escape because he had suffered injuries. He was taken by rescue to the Rhode Island Hospital Trauma Center.
The police contacted the Massachusetts State Police to find St. Angelo who had run into the woods. The state police arrived with a K-9 dog to assist the Swansea police in their search. During the investigation, police said, Emily Burt, 26, of Pleasant Street, Rehoboth, the owner of the car, emerged from the woods and complained about injuries that she had suffered in the crash.
The police said that she was taken to Rhode Island Hospital.
Investigators said the accident damaged a transformer of the Swansea Water District property and caused an oil leak. National Grid also responded to fix the damaged utility pole, police said.