DWI Charge For Woman Who Flipped SUV In Quiet Bellmore Neighborhood

BELLMORE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- It's the season of graduation parties, but a night of celebrating ended with a party crash on Long Island, and not the kind you may expect.

As CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reported, the party was going strong in the Izzo's backyard, with dozens of people celebrating their son's college graduation.

"All of a sudden I hear my son go, 'ma, ma!" Camille Izzo said.

At the end of their driveway on Prospect Place - a quiet side street -- the SUV landed upside down. There was glass everywhere.

It was 10:30 p.m. and neighbor Jeff Scialo had been relaxing with friends in his backyard.

"I said there is no way it's fireworks, it sounds like metal," he said.

As neighbors poured out of their homes, Scialo was first to the flipped car where he found the female driver inside, dazed, but amazingly not seriously hurt.

"She was on the ceiling, and me and my buddy helped her out," he said.  "I wanted to make sure everyone was out of that car as quick as possible."

Bellmore firefighters converged on the scene, and Nassau police later charged the driver, 29-year-old Carissa Hodge of East Islip, with DWI.

"She just wouldn't answer me, no connection, no eye contact with me at all," Scialo said.

Camille said it was a frightening lesson to the kids at the party in a season of crashes, often with more serious outcomes.

"She's a lucky girl. I'm a parent, I wouldn't want my daughter or my sons to be in that situation," she said.

The Izzos said the young driver refused to respond to their questions, simply repeating that she was fine. The neighbor's parked car was totaled.

Hodge pleaded not guilty and was released without bail.