Oriskany Man Charged With DWAI Drugs After Route 840 Crash

A 45-year-old Oriskany man is facing drug impaired driving charges following a crash Thursday afternoon on the eastbound off-ramp of State Route 840 at Commercial Drive in New Hartford.

New Hartford Police say officers were called to the scene at about 12:30 p.m. after a Chrysler minivan rear-ended a Toyota Tacoma that was stopped at a traffic light. Investigators determined the minivan was being driven by 45-year-old Scott Lahart of Oriskany.

As officers investigated the collision, they observed signs that Lahart may have been impaired. Standardized Field Sobriety Tests were administered at the scene and police later conducted a more extensive evaluation through a New Hartford Police Department Drug Recognition Expert.

That investigation resulted in Lahart being charged with Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs. He was also cited for speed not reasonable and prudent and for operating an uninspected motor vehicle.

No serious injuries were reported in the crash.

Following his arrest, Lahart was transported to the New Hartford Police Department for processing. Police say he was issued tickets directing him to appear in New Hartford Town Court at a later date. He was later released to a sober third party.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE:   This post is for informational purposes and is based largely on information received from New Hartford Police. Regardless of any statements or photographs regarding potential evidence presented or accusations alleged, the reader is reminded that all suspects and/or arrested persons are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. At the time of this posting no additional information is available.]

If there has been a change to this information, such as charges being dropped or dismissed, please email the author by clicking here to begin the process of making the necessary change.