Mahoning Township Police Chief Kenneth J. Barnes has released information concerning two recent crashes that have resulted in charges.

Jennifer Pursel, of the 200 block of Delaware Avenue, Palmerton, was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) resulting in an accident, DUI and endangering the welfare of a child.According to the report, at about 2:29 a.m. Thursday Oct. 28, police were notified of a traffic crash on SR209 at the top of the Mansion Hill area of the highway. Police responded to the area and located a green Chevrolet Malibu sitting along the mountain facing toward Lehighton, smoking, and the driver had fled the scene. The investigating officers also observed that it appeared a child had been in the car as well.The investigating officer obtained ownership information from the registration plate and learned the owner was Pursel. Additional investigation at the scene showed that the vehicle was traveling north on toward Jim Thorpe from the yaw marks on the road, the car was traveling at a high rate of speed, veered right toward the guard rail and then went left hitting the drainage lip and causing the car to spin against the rocks on the mountain and coming to rest facing south. Skid marks were measured at about 90 feet going toward the mountain and disabling the passenger side of the car.The investigating officer requested assistance from Palmerton police in locating the driver of the car and located Pursel at her home. They indicated that she appeared to be driving under the influence. The investigating officer responded to Palmerton and, upon arriving, learned that Pursel had her child, a two-year-old boy, with her when she crashed. She was drinking Southern Comfort and she drank almost a whole bottle. It was further learned that Pursel walked away from the crash sight and flagged down a passing motorist and stated she had a flat tire and needed a ride to Palmerton. The driver that gave her the ride and was unaware that Pursel had crashed her car.Pursel submitted to a PBT examination and her BAC was 0.19 percent. Her son told the investigating officer that "Mommy crashed and he was scared." Pursel was placed under arrest for suspicion of DUI. She submitted to a blood draw at Lehighton hospital. Palmerton police took the child back to the station. The Carbon County Children and Youth Services agency handled the situation with Pursel's child.Pursel is being charged via criminal complaint summons with DUI and related offenses and endangering the welfare of a child.Yvon Dieudonne Lionel, 56, of Homestead, Florida, was charged with a summary traffic citation for careless driving and leaving the scene of an accident involving unattended property.According to the report, the accident occurred on Wednesday Oct. 27 at about 1:50 p.m. Lionel crashed into the utility pole that resulted in the road being closed for several hours. The truck is owned by New England Motor Freight.