Alleged Drunk Driver Charged In Crash That Injured One

HARWICH -- The driver of a sedan sustained life-threatening injuries after his car was struck by a pickup truck allegedly driven by a drunk driver Tuesday evening.

Police received multiple 911 calls shortly before 9 p.m. about the collision, which happened on Route 124 near Har-wood Ave. They arrived to find a head-on crash that had seriously injured the male driver of the car, who was trapped in the wreckage. The driver of the truck, identified as 26-year-old Josephine Marsh of Brewster, had sustained apparently minor injuries.

Based on evidence collected at the scene, Marsh was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, using an electronic device -- a phone -- while operating a motor vehicle, as well as several other motor vehicle violations. She was taken in custody and transported to Cape Cod Hospital for treatment; she was later released on bail pending her arraignment in Orleans District Court.

Fire Chief David LeBlanc said it took firefighters more than 30 minutes to extricate the man from the small car; he praised rescuers for doing so with extreme skill. The man, whose identity has not been released, was rushed to Barnstable Municipal Airport to be airlifted to a Boston trauma center. Officials say his injuries were serious but he was expected to survive.

The regional accident reconstruction team closed Route 124 for several hours while investigating the crash scene. The case remains under investigation.