Car later found in ditch, alcohol a factor police say
A Canastota man was arrested by Cazenovia police on Thursday morning after he drove his car into the Lakeland Park rock wall then drove away, and he was found in his car, which was in a ditch on Rippleton Cross Road, just before 6 a.m.
According to the police report, “alcohol was determined to be a factor.”
Police Chief Michael Hayes said Nicholas Setticase, 32, of Canastota, was driving his 1998 Ford Taurus down Route 20 early on the morning of Thursday, Nov. 2, when, at some point between Morrisville and Nelson, his passenger side front tire came off the rim. Setticase continued to drive the car into Cazenovia without the tire, however, and when he reached the intersection of Albany Street and Forman Street he was unable to make the left-hand turn and struck the Lakeland Park rock wall/iron gate.
“He lost the front tire, obviously that’s why he could not make the turn,” Hayes said.
The wall was pushed back in its positioning, with pieces of it broken off. Setticase’s car also was damaged, and pieces of his car were found at the site of the damaged rock wall, Hayes said.
A Cazenovia police officer noticed the wall damage at about 2:30 a.m., but saw no cars in the area, Hayes said. A few hours later, police were alerted to Setticase’s car in the ditch on Rippleton Cross Road.
Setticase was taken to the Cazenovia police station where he was given a breathalyzer test. The result was a .07 percent alcohol in his system, which was just under the legal limit for intoxication, Hayes said.
Setticase was charged by the village police with leaving the scene of a property damage accident, unsafe tire, unsafe lane change and unsafe speed, and additional charges may be coming, Hayes said.
Madison County sheriff deputies also charged Setticase with drinking alcohol in motor vehicle on highway, unsafe lane change and unsafe tires, according to Acting Sheriff John Ball.
