MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A pickup truck crashed into a utility pole Friday morning in the Orange Mound neighborhood, knocking out power to 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 truck with significant front-end damage. The utility pole appeared to have snapped from the impact. A tow truck operator was working to remove the vehicle, while a Memphis Police Department (MPD) cruiser was parked nearby.
According to a Memphis Light, Gas, and Water (MLGW) outage map, more than 500 customers were without power as of 6:45 a.m. The outage seemed to be concentrated in the areas of Orange Mound and Cooper-Young.
Later, the driver informed MPD officers that he was distracted at the time of the crash. He stated he was talking to a passenger when the accident happened. Police cited the driver for failure to maintain a safe lookout.
