SUV severs utility pole

The driver of a Ford Explorer skidded off the road and struck a utility pole on West Main Street on Saturday afternoon, severing the pole and closing the street to traffic for a block in both directions until late in the night.

The accident happened about 4 p.m. in the 2700 block of West Main.

The driver of the SUV, Eric Antonio Morales-Rodriguez, 21, of Waynesboro, was charged with driving under suspension and reckless driving, said Waynesboro Police Officer J. Nystrom.

Dominion Virginia Power spokeswoman Daisy Pridgen said there were no reports of local power outages, but said the company had crews on the scene to repair the damaged pole.

nTelos Public Relations Manager Mike Minnis said he had not received any reports of service outages for the telephone provider’s customers.

Nystrom said Morales-Rodriquez told police he was headed west on Main when another car tried to cut him off.

When he attempted to evade the other vehicle, the Ford Explorer skidded off the road and struck the pole.

Morales-Rodriquez was not seriously injured and was interviewed by police at the scene.

Police and firefighters blocked off the street in either direction while investigating the accident, and the section of road remained closed into the night.

The 2700 block of West Main was expected to remain closed until about 10 p.m., said Sgt. Robert Luzader of the Waynesboro Police Department.

Capt. Alan Saum of the Waynesboro Fire Department said police and fire crews were concerned about voltage from lines and three electrical transformers on the utility pole and about the remainder of the pole falling.

Saum said that, besides Dominion Virginia Power and nTelos, representatives from Comcast Cable were investigating a possible loss of service to customers.