Orrington Accident Knocks Out Power To Thousands

Over two thousand households in Orrington and surrounding towns lost power when a car sheared off a utility pole on Route 15.

The accident happened at around 4:30 Monday afternoon in front of the Snow's Corner Plaza on Route 15, also known as the River Road in Orrington. A car driven by 26-year-old Dustin Smith of Bucksport struck a utility pole, breaking it in half. Despite the pole landing on the roof of the car, Smith was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Investigators say it appears Smith may have fallen asleep after working an early shift.

Replacing the pole reduced traffic to one lane on Route 15, and left over two thousand customers in Orrington, Brewer, Holden, and Bucksport in the dark for several hours.