Impaired driver ‘lucky to walk away’ after crashing into utility pole: Saanich Police

Victoria Police say that a driver is “lucky to walk away” from the scene of a crash after colliding with an active utility pole in Saanich on Sunday evening.

The incident took place on January 23, just after 4:20 p.m. in the 1000-block of Burnside Road West.

Police say they responded to a report that a vehicle had crashed into a utility pole and, upon arriving at the scene, found the driver trapped inside.

The utility pole had been sheared at the base and officers say that the active wires above created an “extremely hazardous situation.”

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Police say that it took firefighters with the Saanich Fire Department nearly two hours before they were able to safely remove the driver because the active power lines and compromised utility pole presented significant safety risks.

The driver subsequently failed a roadside breath test and was served a 90-day driving prohibition and accompanying vehicle impoundment, say police.

“In looking at the photos from the scene it is quite obvious to see that the driver was lucky to walk away without serious injuries. Not only did the pole land on the windshield of the truck,  but several of the lines attached to the pole were energized with thousands of volts of electricity. A clear message on the inherent dangers and risks of operating a motor vehicle while impaired,” Const. Markus Anastasiades said.

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