Saturday, March 18, 2017

MOST DRUNKS KILL OR INJURE PEOPLE IN THE EARLY A.M. HOURS: Speeding drunk driver critically injures passenger after he lost control of his vehicle and ran off the roadway, striking a utility pole and breaking it in half in Philly



HOLMESBURG (WPVI) -- Police say a driver was speeding and under the influence in a crash in Philadelphia's Holmesburg section.

It happened around 3 a.m. Saturday on the 8200 block of Frankford Avenue.

Police say a male driver in his 20s lost control of his vehicle and ran off the roadway, striking a utility pole and breaking it in half.

The crash also brought down utility wires.

A female passenger became trapped in the wreckage.

Crews had to turn live wires off and pull them off the truck before firefighters could get to her.

She was then taken to Aria-Torresdale Hospital and listed in critical condition.

The driver was taken into custody.

PECO officials said power was lost to a few homes, but should be restored.


=======


Two people were critically injured after a pickup truck they were in crashed into a utility pole in Philadelphia's Holmesburg neighborhood early Saturday, police said.

The truck was traveling at high speed on the 8200 block of Frankford Avenue at about 1:30 a.m. when it slammed into the pole, splitting it in half, police said. The male driver and his female passenger were both taken to a hospital in critical condition.

Police said the man, whose name was not released, was arrested for driving under the influence.

PECO spokeswoman Sabrina Brooks said 317 customers lost power as a result of the broken utility pole. As of 8:30 a.m., most had their power restored; only 16 customers were still without power. She said the remaining customers were expected to have their power restored in the morning.