A New Rochelle man was arrested on Assault and DWI charges this morning after he drove the wrong way on the Bronx River Parkway and collided nearly head-on with a Westchester County police car.
Nelson Escobar, 46, of 43 Calton Road was charged with Vehicular Assault 2nd Degree, a felony, and Driving While Intoxicated, a misdemeanor, at the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla where he was taken by ambulance after the 4 a.m. crash. He was being treated for minor injuries and is expected to be released later today.
Police Officer Gerard Cole was also taken to the medical center, where he was treated for a broken wrist and other injuries and released.
Cole was driving northbound on the parkway in the right lane when he observed Escobar’s vehicle coming at him at a high-rate of speed. He took evasive action, but Escobar struck the police car on the front passenger side.
“The injuries in this crash could have been much worse except for the evasive action taken by Officer Cole that prevented a direct head-on collision from occurring,” said Westchester County Police spokesperson Kieran O’Leary.
In addition to the criminal charges, Escobar was issued summonses for speeding, driving the wrong way and failure to obey a traffic control device.
He is scheduled to appear July 27 in Scarsdale Village Court.