CARMEL, NY — A Carmel man is facing charges after deputies say he tried to leave the scene of a late-night crash in Putnam County while behind the wheel of a damaged Honda.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office says the crash happened Sept. 11 at about 11:30 p.m. at Fair Street and Gleneida Avenue. Deputies say they arrived to find one driver attempting to pull away, even as witnesses remained at the scene.
According to authorities, 19-year-old Esdras R. Cardona Ovalle was in a 2014 Honda that had rear-ended another vehicle. Deputies say he was revving the engine and trying to drive off when they reached him.
Deputy broke the driver’s window when orders were ignored
Investigators say Cardona Ovalle would not comply when officers told him to stop. They say the car doors were locked and that he kept ignoring commands, creating a safety concern for people nearby.
A deputy then broke the driver’s side window to keep him from fleeing, according to the sheriff’s office. Officials said the move was taken to stop him from getting away and putting others at risk.
Deputies have not said whether the crash happened at speed or what led up to the impact. What they did say is that the Honda had struck the rear of another vehicle before officers got there.
Cardona Ovalle allegedly climbed out the passenger side and ran
After the window was broken, authorities say Cardona Ovalle climbed out through the passenger side and then tried to run from the scene.
The sheriff’s office says an off-duty deputy, an off-duty Carmel police officer, and several good Samaritans helped the responding deputy take him into custody.
No one was seriously injured in the crash or during the arrest, according to officials. The quick response from both law enforcement and bystanders appears to have prevented the situation from escalating further.
Charges include aggravated drunken driving and resisting arrest
Cardona Ovalle is charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated, driving while intoxicated, and resisting arrest, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office did not release additional details about any breath test, blood test, or field sobriety results. Officials also did not say whether more charges could follow.
Because the case involves an alleged attempt to flee after a collision, the arrest drew in multiple responders and outside help. Deputies say the sequence began with the crash itself and ended only after he was physically detained.
What deputies say happened at the intersection that night
The intersection of Fair Street and Gleneida Avenue became the center of the response once deputies learned one of the drivers was trying to leave. The sheriff’s office says that discovery changed a routine crash call into an arrest scene.
By the time officers got control of the situation, the car was stopped, the driver had tried to get away, and the scene had drawn assistance from several people nearby. Authorities say the public help was important in keeping the encounter contained.
Officials have not released the name of the other driver involved or said whether that person needed medical treatment. They have only said that no one suffered serious injuries.
Putnam County case now moves forward after the arrest
With the arrest complete, the case now moves into the court process on the charges listed by the sheriff’s office. Those charges center on the alleged intoxication and the effort to flee after the crash.
The incident adds to a familiar pattern in local roadside enforcement: a crash, signs of impairment, and a decision to run that can quickly turn a traffic response into a more serious arrest. In this case, deputies say the attempt to escape was stopped before anyone was badly hurt.
No court date or attorney response was included in the information released by authorities.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
