YOSEMITE LAKES PARK – An allegedly impaired driver crashed into a power pole in Yosemite Lakes Park last night, breaking off the pole and knocking out power to homes in the Lilley Mountain Drive area.
Allison Starkey says she and her husband Nick heard a loud noise at about 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, and looked out to see that a pickup had smashed into a power pole near their house.
The pole broke off and landed on the truck, according to Allison, and then the power went out.
Allison says they saw a man in a white t-shirt near the truck, and her husband ran inside to call 911. When he came back the man was gone.
She says her neighbor saw someone running away towards Meadow Lane.
When CHP arrived and began investigating, they were able to locate the errant driver of the 2006 Dodge pickup, Clifton Bogie, 61, of Coarsegold.
Bogie was placed under arrest for Driving Under the Influence.
Cal Fire Engines 4285 and 4295 and YLP’s Madera County Engine #10 responded to the scene, along with Sierra Ambulance.
No one was injured in the incident, however power was out to homes in the area until about 2:30 a.m., according to Allison, who was one of those in the dark until PG&E arrived to restore service.
When the pole came down, the power line was torn off the home of one of her neighbors, and they are still without electricity, Allison says.
(Thanks to Amber Tringali for the photo)
