Pittsfield Car Crash Knocks Radio Stations Off Air

04:00PM / Monday, November 04, 2024Print Story | Email Story

Update: Police identify suspect in chase.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A police pursuit that ended in a crash reportedly cut power temporarily to four local radio stations on Monday and set the car on fire.

The suspect in the pursuit, Anthony Winters, 27, of Pittsfield, was charged with numerous motor vehicle offenses as well as assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (motor vehicle.)

Live 95.9-FM and 1420-AM went off the air around 9:30 a.m., according to their Facebook posts.

"Due to an emergency and technical difficulties, we are currently off-air. Engineers are working as quickly as possible to get the station back up and running. Thank you for your patience," 95.9 posted.

According to police, an officer made a motor vehicle stop for civil traffic infractions in the area of West and Edwin Streets. The operator of the vehicle initially stopped but then fled the scene "making contact" with the officer in the process of fleeing. The pursuit traveled on West to Jason Street.

The suspect vehicle lost control in the 200 block, colliding with the utility pole. The crash broke the pole and resulted in the power outage and the motor vehicle catching fire. The suspect fled on foot and was apprehended a short time later in the vicinity of the crash.

David Isby, with the stations' owner Townsquare Media, came by the accident, which he posted on Facebook.

"High speed chase on Jason Street - driver snapped pole in half - then exited vehicle and ran," he posted, with pictures of the car catching on fire. "What's more 4 radio stations are off the air until power gets restored or the generator at studios (which kicked on) gets working properly!!"

The images show a dark colored, late model four-door car smashed front-end first into a guardrail — right below a deer crossing sign — and a pole and wires laying the road. First the car is smoking with driver's side door open and then fully ablaze. Firefighters reportedly had to wait until Eversource could cut power before attempting to douse the fire.

Jason Street was closed for several hours while utility companies restored power and was reopened around 2:30 p.m. The officer was not injured and returned to work shortly after. Winters was treated for minor injuries at Berkshire Medical Center and then discharged.

Tags: police chase, power outage,

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Pittsfield Housing Project Adds 37 Supportive Units and Collective Hope

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:01PM / Monday, December 29, 2025

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A new chapter in local efforts to combat housing insecurity officially began as community leaders and residents gathered at The First on to celebrate a major expansion of supportive housing in the city.

The ribbon was cut on Thursday Dec. 19, on nearly 40 supportive permanent housing units; nine at The First, located within the Zion Lutheran Church, and 28 on West Housatonic Street. The Housing Resource Center, funded by Pittsfield's American Rescue Plan Act dollars, hosted a celebration for a project that is named for its rarity: The First.

"What got us here today is the power of community working in partnership and with a shared purpose," Hearthway CEO Eileen Peltier said.

In addition to the 28 studio units at 111 West Housatonic Street and nine units in the rear of the church building, the Housing Resource Center will be open seven days a week with two lounges, a classroom, a laundry room, a bathroom, and lockers.

Erin Forbush, ServiceNet's director of shelter and housing, challenged attendees to transform the space in the basement of Zion Lutheran Church into a community center. It is planned to operate from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. year-round.

"I get calls from folks that want to help out, and our shelters just aren't the right spaces to be able to do that. The First will be that space that we can all come together and work for the betterment of our community," Forbush said.

"…I am a true believer that things evolve, and things here will evolve with the people that are utilizing it."

Earlier that day, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus joined Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and her team in Housatonic to announce $33.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funding, $5.45 million to Berkshire County.

He said it was ambitious to take on these two projects at once, but it will move the needle. The EOHLC contributed more than $7.8 million in subsidies and $3.4 million in low-income housing tax credit equity for the West Housatonic Street build, and $1.6 million in ARPA funds for the First Street apartments.

"We're trying to get people out of shelter and off the streets, but we know there are a lot of people who are couch surfing, who are living in their cars, who are one paycheck away from being homeless themselves," Augustus said.

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