A Staten Island woman was charged with driving while intoxicated early Saturday morning after her car plowed into a police squad car and pushed it into a tree where it caught fire, investigators said.
The car, driven by 23-year-old Jacqueline Perez, cruised through a stop sign at the intersection of Townsend Avenue and Bay Street on Staten Island at about 5:30 a.m. and slammed into the patrol car, police said.
Two officers were able to get out of the burning squad car and were taken to Richmond University Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries, police said.
In addition to DWI, Perez was charged with two counts of vehicular assault. There was no indication she had retained a lawyer who could comment on the charges.
Perez refused medical attention at the scene, police said.
