Vehicle Versus Power Pole River Road

 

WeEscalon – February 10, 2017.

 

Escalon, California – February 09, 2017; California Highway Patrol, Escalon Fire Department, and Escalon Community Ambulance Services responded to a solo vehicle versus PG&E power pole. The accident was reported yesterday about 5:14 p.m. and occurred at the 2600 block of E. River Road near McHenry Avenue. California Highway Patrol is the primary investigating agency in this accident.

 

An off duty Escalon Police Officer was the first to arrive on the accident scene and reported it to emergency services dispatch.

 

Upon arriving on the scene, emergency personnel found one of the two occupants of the vehicle had already gotten out of the vehicle. Emergency crews could also smell a strong odor of gasoline coming from the fuel tank of the crashed vehicle and moved quickly to insure that everyone was out of the vehicle safely.

Witnesses reported the grey sedan was traveling westbound on E. River Road and for some unknown reason the driver lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle spun around hitting the power pole and snapping it in half before coming to rest wrapped around the base of an almond tree in a nearby orchard. The gas tank of the vehicle was ruptured on impact of the power pole, causing the gas leak and odor. There was major damage to both the vehicle and power pole.

 
The driver and passenger were checked by Escalon emergency medical technicians on scene and appeared to have only minor injuries. No one was transported by ambulance from the crash site and it appeared no other vehicles had been involved in the accident. PG&E arrived on scene to assess damages and ready for repairs. Rain and bad weather may have been a factor in this accident.

 
There were moderate traffic delays to both east and west bound traffic on River Road due to the emergency vehicles in the roadway and McDowell tow services removing the damaged vehicle from the accident scene.