THE BIG FAT FENDER BENDER: License plate and fluid trail leads to...

WEST YARMOUTH – [HN NOTES] – None of it made a lick of sense.

Last evening Yarmouth Police squad cars were dispatched to the intersection of Swan Lake Road and Circuit Road West, after a vehicle took out a fire hydrant, along with a healthy middle-aged scrub oak.

Investigating officers then learned the vehicle had left the scene, apparently driving off somewhere without its license plate, which was found on the ground next to a sideways hydrant.

The license plate came back to a nearby address on Swan Lake Road. A fresh trail of leaked fluids led from the crash scene to the very same address.

Upon further investigation, officers discovered a heavily damaged SUV, neatly backed-in, next to the address in question. The front end was especially ravaged, if not completely totaled, consistent with just having plowed into a deciduous North American hardwood.

Having apparently found the vehicle in question, officers were still puzzled as to why the driver left the scene. The obvious magnitude of sudden force that must have been felt upon impact, compounded by the immense amount damage, makes it extremely difficult to imagine the driver simply was not aware…

Neighbors stood outside their homes wondering what was going on, while officers had a word with the registered owner of the vehicle, who showed no signs of liquid induced impairment.

And listening in, waiting for some reasonable explanation as to why he did not remain on scene or at least immediately notify cops, HN heard nothing that made any sense whatsoever, aside from a load of ‘I’m usually a responsible driver’ gibberish.

Please note: Massachusetts law [MGL ch 90 § 24], states that it is against the law for any driver to leave the scene of an accident resulting in property damage or personal injury caused by the driver without stopping and making themselves known to the persons or property owner involved.

I suppose we should all at least feel fortunate nobody was hurt this time. Right?