Kingston man charged with impaired driving after collision causes power outage

A local man is facing charges for impaired driving after he collided with a hydro pole in Kingston’s west end, causing a dangerous scene for first responders and a power outage for nearly 1,300 residents.

The collision took place on Wednesday, Apr. 1, 2020 just before 5:30 p.m. The male driver struck a hydro pole at the corner of Nottinghill Avenue and Woodbine Road, just south of Princess Street. The pole collapsed on the vehicle before landing on the ground and sending cascades of sparks, eventually leading to a small fire surrounded by downed power lines. The collision led to an immediate power outage for those in the area, with over 1,200 Hydro One customers left without power for over four hours.

Kingston Fire and Rescue, Frontenac Paramedic Services, Kingston Police, and Hydro One crews all responded to the scene. Officers on the scene made observations that the male driver was under the influence of alcohol, and he was placed under arrested and transported to Kingston Police Headquarters where he provided two breath samples.

The 45-year-old Kingston man is charged with impaired operation of a conveyance (vehicle), and driving while over the legal blood alcohol limit. According to police, the man was found to have more than two times the legal alcohol limit in his system. He was released from the police station on Promise to Appear with a future court date. His driver’s licence is automatically suspended for 90 days and he will see a minimum one year’s suspension if convicted.