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Wreck knocks out power
car plows into power line
A car plowed into a power line in Hinesville early Saturday morning knocking out the power for several hours. The Driver is suspected of DUI.

UDPATED: DRIVER IDENTIFIED AND CHARGES LISTED

Power was knocked out for several hours in Hinesville after a motorist allegedly driving under the influence, plowed into a power pole around 1 a.m. Saturday in front of the Holiday Inn Express on the 1300 block of East Oglethorpe Highway.

Georgia State Patrol Trooper, Marvin Frazier said the motorist, Keith Ervin Smith, was allegedly traveling eastbound in the westbound lane at a high rate of speed. The driver struck the power pole splitting it in two. The driver also struck a tree and a telephone box flipping his vehicle.

The car came to rest upside down in a ditch.  The man was stuck inside the wrecked vehicle for nearly an hour as firefighters from the Hinesville department were unable to approach the car due to downed, yet active power lines.

Georgia Power was called to the scene and shut off power to the lines. Officers and first responders were then able to extract the driver from the vehicle.

The driver was transported to Memorial Health Medical Center in Savannah where his condition is unknown.  Frazier said the man is being charged with driving under the influence, Failure to Maintain Lane, Driving on the wrong side of roadway and driving too fast for condition.

Power was restored several hours later and the roadway has been reopened.




power knocked out after being hit by car

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