Eight cars damaged in crash involving alleged drunken driver in North Jersey

A crash allegedly involving a drunken driver that involved eight vehicles in Elmwood Park on Friday evening left one driver trapped and a trail of damage on roads and sidewalks at the intersection of Mola Boulevard and Godwin Avenue.

The crash caused severe damage to vehicles, with car parts strewn on the road and cars pushed against each other, authorities said. Police arrested Jean C. Lizardo, 29, of Elmwood Park and charged him with driving while intoxicated; he was later released under John's Law to a third party the police did not identify.

"At approximately 5:53 p.m., the Elmwood Park Police Department received multiple 911 calls regarding a serious motor vehicle accident," said Michael Foligno, Elmwood Park's police chief. "Multiple damaged vehicles were in the roadway and on the sidewalks."

A driver who was trapped in a vehicle was extricated and taken to Hackensack University Medical Center with minor injuries. Two other people involved in the crash also had minor injuries and were taken to Hackensack.

North Jersey news: Wayne fire leaves family home uninhabitable, kills pet. Two firefighters injured

"I’m so glad that my dad made it out alive from this accident! His car suffered a lot and is a total loss. Will definitely be a long road to recovery," said Sandra Yauseyeva, commenting on a Facebook post and referring to one of the victims.

The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Fatal Accident Unit and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit were at the scene to investigate.

Lizardo was taken to Elmwood Park police headquarters, where he was processed, charged with driving while intoxicated and issued motor vehicle summonses, Foligno said.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: 8 cars damaged in NJ crash involving alleged drunken driver