Saanich police say a suspected impaired driver was lucky to walk away without serious injuries Sunday after his truck struck a utility pole, which then landed on the vehicle’s windshield.
Wires were stretched across the vehicle when police arrived just after 4:20 p.m. The driver was trapped inside the truck and it took Saanich firefighters close to two hours to free him due to the active power lines and the weakness of the downed pole.
Burnside Road West between Marigold Road and Wilkinson Road was closed while they worked.
Several of the wires attached to the pole carried thousands of volts of electricity, police said.
The driver failed a roadside breath test, was given a 90-day driving prohibition and the truck was impounded.
The road was reopened as of 7:45 p.m.
jbell@timescolonist.com
