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Criminal charges were pending for 37-year-old Joseph Shea of Bridgeton, the Margate City Police Department said in a news release on Thursday, Aug. 1. Dispatchers received several 911 calls from residents who heard a loud noise and saw a car that hit a utility pole at around 11:15 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31.
Officers and firefighters rushed to the crash scene near the intersection of Jerome and Winchester avenues. They found a utility pole severed in half and live wires on the ground.
Investigators said Shea was driving a white Acura west on Winchester Avenue when the car went through the intersection with Jerome Avenue. The car struck a traffic light pole and a utility pole before coming to a stop on the sidewalk.
Paramedics brought Shea to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Atlantic City Campus, and he was expected to survive his injuries. An officer followed Shea to the hospital to get a blood sample from him after showing "signs of impairment" at the crash scene.
Officers found a suspected drug and drug paraphernalia inside Shea's car. He was facing charges like driving while intoxicated, along with several motor vehicle violations.
The investigation was ongoing, police said.
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