Power pole knocked out by suspected impaired driver in Mission

This photo provided by the Mission RCMP shows the scene of a crash on Dec. 16, 2024.

A suspected impaired driver crashed into a utility pole in B.C.'s Fraser Valley Monday morning, according to authorities, who said the crash left hazardous wires strewn on the roadway and caused a power outage.

Police were called to the scene, on Dewdney Trunk Road near Keystone Avenue, just before 10 a.m., the Mission RCMP said in a news release.

"A black Toyota 4Runner left the roadway and crashed through a utility pole before coming to rest in some bushes alongside the roadway," a spokesperson for the detachment said.

"An off-duty paramedic and firefighter were first on scene, however they could not approach the vehicle as a long section of power lines had been pulled down due to the broken pole, and the lines were in close proximity to the vehicle."

When police arrived, they found the driver had left he scene on foot. A police dog led officers to a nearby abandoned building where they found the 33-year-old driver – who "exhibited symptoms of impairment."

The man was unable to provide a breath sample, so authorities said they will test his blood to determine if he was intoxicated.