Crime & Safety
UPDATE: University St. Power Outage Lasts 7 Hours; Driver Critical
A late-model black Mercedes SUV was wrapped around a utlity pole in a single-car accident Thursday afternoon, causing power outages and traffic detours
A single-car accident, apparently caused by the driver’s health crisis, blocked traffic on Healdsburg’s University Street between Tucker and Matheson streets for several hours Thursday evening, and caused a power outage that lasted until 10:15 p.m. in the immediate neighborhood.
According to Officer Steve Moore of the , callers reported the accident at 3:02 p.m. When police arrived on site, they found two passers-by administering CPR to the car’s driver. There were no skid marks, suggesting the driver had suffered a heart attack or similar and driven into the utility pole without attempting to stop.
Police treated the driver at the scene and removed him from the area of the accident. Live power and other lines were overhead, as the car had collided with and partially damaged the utility pole outside 209 University St.
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The driver, who identity has not yet been released as of Friday afternoon, is described as a 59-year old Healdsburg resident. He is reported in critical condition, in a medically-induced coma, at .
The vehicle, a late-model black Mercedes SUV, partially wrapped itself around the pole, and was wedged between the telephone pole and house. The car appeared to be extremely damaged, as the accompanying photos show.
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According to the release from the police department, “Due to a vehicle vs. power pole the electricity will be out in the area of Center St from HPD towards the area of Tucker Street/ University Street/ Mason Street and Matheson Street and surrounding streets. It is expected to be out for a minimum of one hour except for two blocks of University from Matheson to Tucker which will be out for a least four hours.”
The was on the scene by 4 p.m. attempting to right the telephone pole and stabilize the power lines before the vehicle could be removed. While power was returned to the affected downtown area by 4:30 p.m., the immediate block near the accident was without power until after 10 p.m.
Cross-down traffic on the well-traveled street was diverted around the affected street, and did not return to normal until Thursday evening.
