MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A pickup truck crashed into a utility pole early Friday morning in the Orange Mound area of Memphis, causing a power outage for hundreds of residents.
The incident occurred near the intersection of Southern Avenue and Semmes Street. FOX13 arrived on the scene shortly after 6:30 a.m. to find a pickup truck with significant front-end damage. The utility pole appeared to be snapped as a result of the impact. A tow truck operator was working to remove the damaged vehicle while a Memphis Police Department (MPD) cruiser was parked nearby.
According to a Memphis Light, Gas and Water outage map, over 500 customers were without power as of 6:45 a.m. The outage primarily affected the Orange Mound and Cooper-Young neighborhoods.
Later, the driver informed MPD that he had been “distracted” at the time of the crash, stating he was talking to a passenger in the truck. The driver was subsequently cited for failure to maintain a safe lookout, police stated.
