Drowsy driver drops power pole

Power was off for as many as twelve hours over a large area of the valley on Saturday evening and night. A driver headed north on Arnold Drive about 4:30 p.m. jumped the curb just north of Craig Avenue and squarely hit a power pole, shearing it off at the base and totaling the Toyota 4×4 he was driving.
The driver told the Highway Patrol that he was tired and must have dozed off. He was wearing his seatbelt and was conscious at the scene, though complaining of pain. He was taken by ambulance to Kaiser Hospital in Santa Rosa. There were no passengers.
Fire crews remained on the scene to provide clean-up service from the damaged power transformer. Reportedly, this pole has been hit before, and the transformer was filled with non-toxic mineral oil.
Power was lost to residences and businesses from Petaluma Avenue to Boyes Boulevard, extending for blocks to both sides of Arnold Drive. PG&E crews erected a replacement pole and had restored power reportedly to all areas by the following morning.