Mason County, WA. 1/3/14 — Skokomish Valley residents were without power for several hours Friday night due to a collision involving a 17 year old driver shearing off a transmission pole near the Vance Creek bridge while traveling east on a dark frigid evening down the valley’s county road. The high voltage lines (7,200 volts) lying on the frozen roadbed prevented ingress and egress, blocking traffic for at least a couple of hours while utility crews cleared the wreckage and erected a new transmission pole to restore power for residents.
The medical condition of the youth, who was airlifted to Harborview Trauma center in Seattle, is not presently known and first responders were hesitant to provide names pending notification of next of kin. The single vehicle accident occurred on a road bend notorious for its treacherous black ice during cold snaps due to it remaining in the shade throughout the day. It is a potential death trap for the unwary.