Updated August 27
A vehicle accident that took out a utility pole on Monday caused an outage for nearly 200 Chilmark residents.
According to a Tuesday afternoon press release from the Chilmark Police Department, 18-year-old John Carbon from Edgartown allegedly struck a utility pole while driving a 2003 Audi A4. Chilmark Police responded to the accident, which occurred on North Road in the area of Chowder Kettle Lane, at around 5:29 am on Monday.
By the time police found the vehicle, Carbon and an unnamed 18-year-old female passenger from Vineyard Haven had “reportedly fled the scene[,] according to a passerby.” The pole had landed on the vehicle, which sustained major damage. The release states wires were “sparking and there was a “slow burning fire” where the pole was leaning on a tree.
The two individuals were soon located and neither of them were injured, according to police.
Carbon was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failing to stay in the marked lanes, and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident. He has been transported to the Dukes County House of Correction.
Eversource’s power outage map shows a “vehicle accident” early Monday morning causing outages for 122 customers near Cove Road and 57 customers near where Chowder Kettle Lane and North Road meet. These areas had their power restored later in the day on Monday.
Eversource spokesperson Kyle Costa said the set of outages were both from the accident in Chilmark.
Updated with additional information from Chilmark Police.
This is the third time this month a Chilmark crash knocked out power.
Perhaps the “news” will be when a week goes by without that happening.
Al, over here hoping you have solar panels so you aren’t impacted by the power outages.
if the lines were underground this would not be a problem.
Ed, if every roof had solar panels it wouldn’t be a problem either.
We also wouldn’t need distribution lines.
Solar on every roof would mean no more power poles. Safer for cars too.
Mary, is your house off grid?
Are you leading by example?