According to Sheriff Jeffrey J. Murphy, on Saturday, June 6, 2015, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to a motor vehicle accident (truck vs power pole) on Vaughn Road at 9:25 pm.

Upon arriving on the scene, emergency personnel found a broken power pole with high tension wires down in the roadway. A 2005 Chevrolet was located in a field off the west side of Vaughn Road. The driver, Joseph M. Ricciardelli Jr., 45, of State Street in Fort Edward was uninjured in the crash.

Ricciardelli told sheriff’s deputies that he swerved to miss a deer and lost control of the vehicle. Ricciardelli failed a series of field sobriety tests at the scene and was arrested.

Ricciardelli was processed at the Law Enforcement Center and tested a .21% blood alcohol content. He was charged with felony aggravated driving while intoxicated, felony aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and numerous vehicle and traffic violations. The felony counts were brought due to a prior conviction for driving while intoxicated in 2009 which is within the previous 10 years. Ricciardelli’s driving privilege had also been revoked due to previous alcohol related convictions.

Power was knocked out in the area as a result of the crash and National Grid was on scene. A portion of Vaughn Road, from Underwood Road to Waite Road was closed for a time as crews worked to repair the power lines.

As of 1:30am, Ricciardelli was awaiting arraignment.

Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Trottier made the arrest.