AT&T says SR-67 downed utility pole incident under investigation

Update:

Following a series of accidents Tuesday night, Aug. 6, when eight vehicles became entangled in low-hanging communication lines over State Route 67, AT&T says the incident is under investigation.

Around 8:30 p.m. an AT&T pole on SR-67, just south of Archie Moore Road, dropped about six feet above ground, causing the communication lines to hang low over the highway, said California Highway Patrol Officer Kevin Pearlstein. Vehicles traveling on the highway hit the wires and two other utility poles fell. San Diego Gas & Electric said one of those was AT&T’s and the other was a joint AT&T and SDG&E pole.

In a statement to the

Sentinel

on Thursday, AT&T said: “Our utility poles that fell have since been replaced, and AT&T is currently in the process of restoring service to the area. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.”

Of those involved in the accidents, only minor injuries were reported and one driver, the 61-year-old Ramona driver of a 2011 Dodge, was taken to Pomerado Hospital, said officials.

Original story

: Eight people were injured and several vehicles were damaged after a utility pole fell down on State Route 67 near Archie Moore Road Tuesday night, causing vehicles to become entangled in wires.

Injuries were minor but one driver was transported to Pomerado Hospital, said Ramona Fire Department/Cal Fire Station 82.

Around 8:30 p.m., an AT&T utility pole along the east shoulder of SR-67, just south of Archie Moore Road fell over, causing utility communication lines to hang low over the highway, according to officials. Four northbound vehicles stuck the low hanging lines, resulting in minor damage to their vehicles, CHP Officer Brian Kattke stated in the report. When two other northbound vehicles — a 2011 Dodge and a 1997 GMC — approached, traveling side by side, the Dodge became entangled in the utility lines and veered to the right and into the GMC, Kattke said.

“As a result, both vehicles overturned onto the right shoulder. This collision produced a domino effect, causing two other utility poles to fall,” he stated in the report.

Another northbound vehicle and a southbound vehicle became entangled in the additional falling wires, and electrified wires fell across the two overturned vehicles, trapping an individual in the 2011 Dodge, he said.

An uninjured family of five in a 2013 Chevrolet and the injured party in the 2011 Dodge were instructed to remain inside their vehicles until San Diego Gas & Electric crews could confirm power had been turned off to the downed lines, said Kattke.

The 61-year-old driver of the 2011 Dodge, a Ramona resident, was transported to the hospital with minor

injuries, according to CHP.

Also reported injured were the 42-year-old driver of a 2012 Toyota, the 51-year-old driver of a 1997 Toyota, the 43-year-old driver of a 2008 Ford, and the 49-year-old driver of a 2001 Infinity. All were all from Ramona.

In addition, the Spring Valley driver, age 67, of the 1997 GMC, the San Diego driver, 49, of the 2008 Nissan, and the 45-year-old driver of the 2013 Chevrolet, who is from Tulsa, Okla., were injured, according to the report.

CHP said the 2011 Dodge, the 1997 GMC, and the 2008 Nissan all sustained major damage.

The collision closed SR-67 between Poway and Ramona for about three hours. Utility crews from SDG&E and AT&T have been working at the site since early this morning, replacing poles and pulling lines over the highway. Traffic control has one lane blocked on each side of the highway for a few hundred feet, near Archie Moore Road.

According to SDG&E, two of the poles that fell were AT&T’s, and the other was a joint SDG&E and AT&T pole that fell after a vehicle hit a communication wire that was hanging low as a result of the incident.

A spokesperson for SDG&E said 750 customers were affected by power outages, some in the area near the scene, but most in south Poway, north of Poway Road. Power was restored to most customers by 10:30 p.m. Tuesday and the rest by 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, she said.