Speeding driver strikes pole, Wednesday morning, cutting power to over 800 Antioch homes and businesses
Car accident on E. 18th Street knocks out power to surrounding homes and businesses, on New Year’s Eve day.
By Allen Payton
A driver speeding down East 18th Street in Antioch, at an estimated 70 to 80 miles per hour, Wednesday morning struck a telephone and power pole, at about 11:00 a.m., then overturned. The crash knocked out power to 833 surrounding homes and businesses, according to Tom Guarino, Government Relations Manager for PG&E.
The affected power pole.
According to a tow truck driver and a member of the Antioch Volunteers In Police Service (VIPS) on the scene, the driver was alone in the van, and is in the hospital with a broken back. He had just dropped off his wife and their child, and was on his way to pick up flowers for his wife for their anniversary.
In an email received from Joe Metcalf, Superintendent of PG&E’s Diablo Division Electric M&C at 5:48 p.m., he stated “we have two GC crews on site now. I just spoke [to] the supervisor and he said that they would have all the power restored by 19:30.” That’s 7:30 p.m., tonight.
However, as of a 7:10 p.m. update on the PG&E website, it states “PG&E repair crew is on-site working to restore power” and “ESTIMATED RESTORATION: DEC 31, 8:00 PM.”
For further updates on the power outage, visit www.pge.com/myhome/outages/outage.
The car struck the utility pole between Amber Drive and Alhambra Drive.
the attachments to this post:
Car accident on E. 18th St 2
power pole
Car accident on E. 18th St 1
