A 48-year-old Stittville woman is facing an aggravated driving while intoxicated charge after New Hartford police say she crashed into a light pole on Commercial Drive, drove away, and then fought with officers who tracked her down on Route 840. Kristin Clinton was taken into custody, transported to police headquarters, and later sent to a hospital for evaluation after what officers described as agitated and combative behavior.
According to Newport Dispatch, New Hartford police responded to a motor vehicle crash at Commercial Drive and the Route 840 entrance ramp at approximately 5:45 p.m. on September 24, 2026, a Thursday. A gray Lexus had struck a light pole, and a witness reported that the vehicle continued onto Route 840 rather than stopping. Officers located the Lexus on the highway and, upon making contact with the driver, observed signs of alcohol impairment.
Clinton was uncooperative from the start, the outlet's report indicates, resisting officers' efforts to remove her from the vehicle and take her into custody. She allegedly kicked one of the responding officers during the struggle. Once at the New Hartford Police Department, she continued to behave in an agitated and combative manner, per the same account, before being transported to Wynn Hospital for evaluation.
Charges Stack Up After Roadside Struggle
Clinton was ultimately charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated, with a blood alcohol content of .18 percent or greater. Under New York Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 1192(2-a)(a), that BAC threshold — more than double the standard 0.08 percent legal limit — defines Aggravated DWI, according to DWI Team. A first-offense conviction is an unclassified misdemeanor carrying fines between $1,000 and $2,500, up to one year in jail, a mandatory minimum one-year license revocation, and mandatory installation of an ignition interlock device.
The alleged resistance during her arrest added a Class A misdemeanor charge of its own. Under New York Penal Law Section 205.30, resisting arrest is defined as intentionally preventing or attempting to prevent a police officer from making an authorized arrest, and a conviction can carry up to 364 days in jail, up to three years of probation, and a $1,000 fine, per Sharifov & Associates, PLLC.
Clinton was also charged with obstructing governmental administration, another Class A misdemeanor. New York Penal Law Section 195.05 applies when someone intentionally impairs or prevents a public servant from performing an official function through physical force, interference, or unlawful acts, as explained by Tilem & Associates. That charge carries a maximum of one year in jail, three years of probation, and a $1,000 fine.
Kicking Officer Brings Lesser Harassment Violation
The alleged kick itself resulted in a separate charge — harassment in the second degree — which, despite the physical contact involved, is classified as a violation rather than a crime. Under New York Penal Law Section 240.26, that classification applies when someone, with intent to harass, annoy, or alarm, subjects another person to physical contact such as kicking, striking, or shoving, according to the New York State Senate. The maximum statutory penalty is up to 15 days in jail and a $250 fine — far lighter than the misdemeanors stacked alongside it, even though both stem from the same alleged combativeness during her arrest.
Clinton also faces multiple additional vehicle and traffic law violations, including a charge for leaving the scene of the collision. Under New York Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 600(1), leaving the scene of an incident involving property damage without stopping to exchange information or notify law enforcement is a traffic infraction, according to Gannes & Musico, LLP. Drivers who strike fixed property such as utility poles without reporting it face up to 15 days in jail, fines up to $250, and three points on their driving record.
Highway Ramp Closed as Crews Cleared Debris
The crash forced New Hartford police to temporarily close the on-ramp from Commercial Drive to Route 840 while National Grid and town highway crews cleared the downed light pole from the roadway. Commercial Drive carries more than 24,000 vehicles daily. The New Hartford Police Department serves a resident population of roughly 24,000 people, but its officers provide coverage for up to 100,000 people on a given day given the volume of commercial and retail traffic passing through town.
After her arrest, Clinton was taken to Wynn Hospital for evaluation. The 373-bed, $481 million hospital opened in downtown Utica in October 2023, consolidating emergency and acute care services previously split between St. Luke's and St. Elizabeth hospitals.
