crash_reports: 22000022

On Friday, January 7, 2022, while assigned to Traffic unit N525, I responded to the area of Commonwealth Avenue and Auburn Street, Newton for a report of a City of Newton plow truck that knocked over a traffic signal and left the area. The weather at the time of the crash was overcast and snow. The road surface was wet. Commonwealth Avenue and Auburn Street are both public ways maintained by the City of Newton. On arrival to this area, I observed a traffic signal resting on the sidewalk in front of 1897 Commonwealth Avenue. The traffic signal was cracked at it's base, and still functioning while resting on the sidewalk. The traffic signal when operation faces traffic traveling Westbound on the Commonwealth Avenue carriage road at Auburn Street. An anonymous resident of the area approached me and showed me a picture on their phone of the truck that left the area after crashing into the traffic signal. The photo was of a large City of Newton orange dump truck with a plow affixed to the front of it. I could not make out the registration of the vehicle, but I could see the number 48 on it's side to identify it. I requested Newton Dispatch contact the DPW to identify who the operator of the vehicle was. A message was left for Mr. Perry Cacciola (Newton DPW) for information about the crash. On Monday, January 10, 2021, I spoke with Mr. Cacciola. Mr. Cacciola stated Donald Leblanc (S00405419) was the operator of the plow responsible for the damage to the traffic signal. Mr. Cacciola stated he could not provide any information about the vehicle used in the crash, except that it was number 48. I then spoke with Mr. Leblanc. Mr. Leblanc stated he was operating the City of Newton plow involved in the crash. Mr. Leblanc stated the snow at the time of the crash was packed down and the plow made contact with the traffic signal while he was clearing the snow in front of 1897 Commonwealth Avenue. Mr. Leblanc stated he contacted his supervisor, Perry Cacciola, sometime after the the incident to reprot the damage. Mr. Leblanc reported no injuries. Photos were taken of the damaged traffic signal and submitted to the IT Bureau.