Crash sends jolt through car, topples pole

Cindy Von Quednow
The Ventura County Star

OXNARD, Calif. — A man was injured Wednesday in Oxnard after his car crashed into a power pole and was energized, authorities said. The incident was reported about 11:15 a.m. in a rural area near Teal Club Road and South Victoria Avenue.

The man was driving east on Teal Club and became distracted, then his vehicle veered off the road and hit a power pole, said Battalion Chief Darwin Base, of the Oxnard Fire Department.

Three transformers from the pole fell and energized the vehicle, and emergency personnel couldn't continue the rescue until after electricity was turned off, Base said.

After about 20 minutes, Southern California Edison crews turned off the power, and firefighters extricated the victim, whose name was not released.

The driver, in his 60s, complained of back and neck pain and was taken to Ventura County Medical Center in Ventura for minor injuries, Base said.

The vehicle's air bags were deployed, and the man was wearing a seat belt, Base said.

The extrication effort was minor, but the man was in too much pain to let himself out of the vehicle, officials said.

No one else was injured, Base said.

One transformer leaked fluid onto the road, and a hazardous-materials team responded to make sure it was not toxic and didn't spread, Base said.

Teal Club was closed between Victoria Avenue and Patterson Road while the road was cleared, authorities said.

Copyright 2012 Ventura County Star

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