Drivers concerned after screws are left in Westfield road

WESTFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Viewers reported screws laying across a road in Westfield on Wednesday morning, and many people were talking after many tires were damaged. Western Mass News spoke with one family who was directly affected.

“I honestly can’t fathom how it happened the first time with so many people,” Westfield resident Sarah Pouliot emphasized.

Joe and Sarah Pouliot were taking their son to school Wednesday morning, when they began to hear something unusual from the bottom of their car.

“We were coming down the hill, it was almost immediately after we were on route that you hear ‘conk, conk, conk’ every time the wheels hit,” Joe recalled.

The culprit laid on top of that hill on Pochassic Street in Westfield; dozens of screws, lodged in one of the front tires on the couples’ car. It wasn’t until they arrived back home that they saw the cause behind all that noise.

“It was like 30 on the passenger side front tire, and yeah it was just crazy,” Joe claimed.

“Work had to stop, and ya know, that was ultimately the priority for the day.”

The Pouliots weren’t the only ones affected by this. Another Westfield resident was driving near Pochassic and Montgomery Streets later that day, when the same thing happened to his tire.

Police Captain Eric Hall told Western Mass News there is no further risk, as he sees no foul play behind the incident.

“By all accounts, it appears it was an accidental incident, where a box of screws was spilled into the road, and unfortunately several motorists passed through and picked up a lot of those screws in their tires,” Hall claimed.

Hall stressed that this could happen to anyone, and the most important thing is to pay attention while driving.

“Just be aware, don’t be distracted, put your devices down, set your radio dials before driving, just be aware of everything out there.