Woman with two kids in car shears utility pole, knocks out Chilmark power

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The Chilmark School was locked down Tuesday afternoon, as police searched for Stephen Carlson, a hunter who had had an altercation with a fellow hunter and brandished a long rifle. — Photo by Ralph Stewart

Portions of Chilmark were left in the dark for a short time Friday night after an Aquinnah woman driving with her two young boys in the car failed to negotiate a curve on South Road by Windy Gates and struck a utility pole, shearing it off at its base just before 10 pm, Chilmark Police said.

Rachel McMullen, 31, of Waduchuemesmayak Road in Aquinnah, was operating a 2012 Chrysler with with her 6-year-old and and 5-year-old boys in the car, only one of whom was in a child safety seat, when she drove over a traffic warning sign indicating a curve in the road and struck the pole, Chilmark detective Sean Slavin told The Times. The younger of the two boys was in the front seat and not restrained by a seatbelt at the time of the accident, according to the police report.

Ms. McMullen and her children were transported to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital with no signs of serious injuries, according to the report. Ms. McMullen was released, and later booked at the Dukes County Jail on charges that included child endangerment while operating under the influence, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, child under the age of 6 not in a car seat, open container, and marked lanes violation.

The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families was notified, police said.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that Ms. McMullen is 29. She is 31.