Three people were taken to Wynn Hospital after a two-car crash on Route 12 in New Hartford on Saturday night, Oct. 24. A 27-year-old driver faces a felony drunken-driving charge, according to police accounts reported by local news outlets. This incident is often highlighted as the New Hartford Route 12 crash.
Police identified the driver as Clayton Hunt. They allege his northbound vehicle crossed the center line and hit a vehicle traveling south at about 7:30 p.m. Hunt, the other driver and a passenger in the other vehicle were treated for injuries that police described as non-life-threatening. The Rome Sentinel reported those details Monday, shedding light on the New Hartford Route 12 crash. This unfortunate incident has become known as the New Hartford Route 12 crash.
Featured image: A symbolic road-safety illustration, not a depiction of Route 12 or the collision. AI-generated illustration by Utica Phoenix. Not the crash scene.
In light of this, discussions around the New Hartford Route 12 crash have intensified.
What police reported at the scene
New Hartford police and firefighters responded to the collision. Officers said Hunt showed signs of impairment and underwent field sobriety tests. Police alleged that he had been driving while intoxicated, according to WKTV’s report Sunday.
Hunt was taken to the hospital for evaluation before his arrest. The initial description of their injuries does not establish their condition today. The reports reviewed for this story did not include a newer medical update.
DWI and other charges
Police said the DWI charge was elevated to a felony because Hunt had a prior DWI conviction within the past 10 years. He also faces a misdemeanor DWI count and an aggravated unlicensed operation charge, WKTV reported.
The reported charges also include driving without a required ignition interlock device, operating without a license and vehicle registration, insurance and inspection violations. Police cited lane and registration-related violations as well. Newport Dispatch also reported the charges and said Hunt was taken to the police department for processing after leaving the hospital.
The charges are allegations. Hunt is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Why the interlock allegation matters
An ignition interlock is a device connected to a vehicle’s starting system. The driver must give a breath sample before the engine can start. The device blocks starting when it detects alcohol above its set limit, according to New York Courts’ explanation of the system.
The state court system says people convicted of misdemeanor or felony DWI and aggravated DWI must install an interlock in vehicles they own or use. That background explains the reported charge. It does not establish whether Hunt violated an order in this case.
What happens next
WKTV reported that the New Hartford Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division was continuing its work and that additional charges were possible. That is not confirmation that any new charge has been filed.
The Sentinel’s Monday report said Hunt was scheduled to appear in court but did not give a date. An arraignment result and current custody status were not confirmed in the reports reviewed for this story.
