Motorist Flips Car, Comes to Rest in Yard of Morris Twp. Home

A 21-year-old woman from Mexico allegedly lost control of her car, which went  over several cement islands on Columbia Road in Morris Township on Saturday early morning. The car rolled and was upside down on a residential property, but all passengers suffered only minor injuries.

Guadalupe M. Prieto of Monteray, Mexico, was arrested on suspicion of DWI and charged with three counts of fourth-degree assault by auto.

At 12:32 a.m., Morris Township Police and Fire departments responded to a reported car fire at the intersection of Whippany Road and Lindsley Drive. When they got there, four occupants were out of a 2011 Chrysler 200. 

The car was on its roof with “significant damage” and “what fire had existed was out,” according to Capt. Richard Ferrone, public information officer for Morris Township police.

Prieto was driving a family member’s car westbound on Columbia Road where she wasn’t able to make the turn in the road. The car went over several cement islands, overturned and stopped on the property of a home at 1 Whippany Road.

The four in the car had minor injuries, which included cuts and some pain. They refused medical services from the Morris Minute Men First Aid Squad.

Prieto was arrested on suspicion of DWI and was charged with three counts of fourth-degree assault by auto, reckless driving and failure to maintain a lane. The court made her surrender her passport to ensure she would appear in court. 

Morris County Sheriff’s Dept’s Special Services Division assisted in the investigation.